Misery & Happiness
by Jaxon The Jester
Summary: Meet Anni, a child of Bhaal. Read her affairs with Anomen, Jaheira, Edwin and Minsc. Also meet Yuri and Ly. An accident prone wild mage and a drow with a horrible past. Some will find happiness here while others will find only misery. Being redone/maybe
1. Sarrey & Anna

**Misery & Happiness**

Sarrey & Anna

_Sarevok age 12  
Anna age 4_

"I can't believe this! I'm getting beat by a baby!" Sarevok stared down at the chess board, unable to understand how he kept losing.

"I'm not a baby, I'm almost five."

"You just turned four." In response she picked up a pawn and threw it at him. He only laughed as he caught it. "Come on, do you want me to read you a story?" The little girl perked right up as she followed her big brother. When she couldn't keep up fast enough for him he picked her up, an easy feat considering how small she was. He was almost five foot five while poor Anna had barely cleared three feet. He worried often for his sister as she was small and very thin, he couldn't remember ever being that small.

Sarevok chose a small book out of the four books he had bought for Anna (all of which were about dragons). He tried daily to teach his little sister to read as they weren't sent to school, nor where they tutored like other children. In fact they weren't allowed to do much that other children did. Each time he asked his mother why she would only say there's no point.

Their mother showed indifference towards him but openly loathed Anna. Since the day she had been born, Alianna would only do the minimum to keep the child alive, not healthy just alive. He had been the one who had taken care of her. He had never been forced to take care of her, it always seemed natural to do so as she was his little sister, and if their mother wouldn't care, she needed someone who would. She needed someone to protect her as Alianna would hit the girl if Sarevok wasn't around to stop her.

He had often caught her talking to her friends how she had been happy to accept their Lord but hated that she had given birth to something as unnatural as a half-elf. This was the reason he supposed she hated Anna. He never understood anything else they talked about and would always get bored and find something else to do besides eavesdropping.

He didn't like his mother's friends, they always came dressed in robes and cowls of deep purple or black robes with violet streaks. His mother wore the same but with a red sash tied to her waist. Unlike her he never saw any of their faces as they wore black veils, making it seem there was no one inside.

Most days they played chess, Anna had picked up the game quite quickly, he was starting to regret teaching her as she almost always won, and he wasn't trying to let her win anymore. He always read to her, teaching her to read for herself and how to write. Something he had to learn to do himself, he loved teaching as she looked at him with utter adoration, as if he was the smartest boy alive. Then there were days they would mock fight with wooden swords he had bought on a whim, she was horrible at it and on some level he was happy that there was something she probably would never be good at.

Lately they hadn't been allowed out of the house. It was after he informed his mother that some strangers had tried to talk to Anna, one of which had been dressed in red robes with a pointy hat. There had been something about the old man that bothered him. Sarevok had walked over and told him to piss off and had taken her away from them. Alianna had cursed them calling them "Harpers" and insisted that he and Anna keep as far away as possible from them. For a second she gave the illusion she cared.

"Sarrey?" Anna voice brought him back from his thoughts.

"What?" 

"Why doesn't mommy like me?" It had been easy for him to stop caring for her but Anna was more gentle hearted than he was.

"You just have to learn to ignore her, Anna. Learn to called her Alianna instead of mommy or mom. She doesn't deserve to be called that. Don't worry it'll get easier after a while." 

"But aerybody else's mom likes them and hugs them and gives them kissies. Is it my fault she don't like me? It's because I'm not like you isn't it?" He hugged her close and spoke slowly to her.

"It's not your fault, there's something wrong with Alianna. When you get older you'll have everyone liking you. Don't worry about her. And the word is everybody." She scowled at him for correcting her.

"But I'm not human, what if nobody likes me? Aeryone hates me, Josef told me so."

"Josef is a little brat, next time he says something like that to you tell me and I'll take care of it."

"You'll always be here to protect me right?"

"Don't be silly, Anna. Of course I will, after all I'm your big brother." He ruffled her black hair, messing it up though it hardly made a difference. 

Sarevok pull his pillow over his face, smothering a curse, it was the third time this night that Anna's sleep talk had awaken him. He briefly entertained the thought of putting the pillow over her face. He laughed at himself knowing he would never hurt her. He knew he wouldn't get anymore sleep this night and decided he might be able to sneak out of the house.

He needed to pick up some more books, for himself and her. Today had been interesting as she had found a book of their mother's and had somehow cast a spell when she read from it. He had no knowledge or patience for magic but it interested her. She had bugged him nonstop for two hours until he agreed to find books to teach her about it.

He checked his small coin purse, hating the fact that there was so little. He would have to enter a pit fight again. The pit fights were run by some of the wealthier men of the city, they held them watching the boys fight and sometimes they would offer the winner some sort of job.

Lately a newcomer named Rieltar Anchev had taken interest in him. He was looking for a boy to foster and maybe become his heir. Sarevok was interested but he had said he would do it if he was allowed to bring his sister. Rieltar hadn't liked the idea and told him if he changed his mind he would be watching the fights.

He smiled at the thought of entering the fights, it was really the only thing he was good at. He always felt more alive when he was fighting, some days he didn't want to come back home, he just wanted to keep fighting. It bothered him that he liked the feel of blood on his hands, that sometimes he wanted to do more than just hurt his opponents, that sometimes he wanted to kill them. He quietly made his way to the stairs, eager to be out of the house when he heard voices.

"Why have you not brought the children to the temple?"

"Those blasted Harpers have been sniffing around, I can not risk having them take either of them."

"You should have brought them sooner."

"Yes yes I know."

"Watch your mouth, Alianna. I will not be disrespected."

"You **dare** say such to _me_, Amelyssan? I am not second to you. You are the High Matriarch and greatest Deathstalker of our Lord Murder's Bhaalist temple, but do not forget I am also High Matriarch and his greatest Archmage and have bore two of the Children. I have always known you are jealous of not receiving him. Be glad you did not have to bare a half elf. Disgusting creatures."

"You would dare question his wisdom? This is treachery as you well know." 

"Oh do shut up _Amelyssan_. I am as faithful as you."

"Good, I will not** tolerate **traitors. There are those who are now turning against us since Bhaal has fallen, those who do not want to see him reborn."

"I am not such. I will perform the sacrifice of both my children, I care not for either of them, only for our Lord Bhaal."

Sarevok backed away from the stairs in horror, not wanting to hear anymore. His father was the god of murder, well the now dead god of murder. If that wasn't enough him and his sister where to be sacrifice to him. He pushed his mind away from the thoughts of his heritage and concentrate on the fact they had to get out of there.

As quietly as he could he made his way back to the room. He gathered up their meager possessions before shaking his sister awake. Her eyes opened slowly and she tried to hide under the blankets when she saw it was still dark out

"Anna get up, we're going..." Where were they going to go? "We're going to umm... find a dragon. Yeah a dragon." At the mention of dragons she sat right up, all traces of sleep gone.

"Dragons?" She smiled.

"Yes, come on. I need you to climb on my back and hold on. OK?" She nodded as he knelt down allowing her to ride piggy back. After making sure she wouldn't fall off, he opened the window, and climbed down the drain pipe. When he reached the ground he looked up to see his mother staring down at them. Not waiting to find out her reaction he took off running. They didn't get far before Anna screamed as she was yanked off his back. He turned seeing his mother holding her by her arm.

The arm that Alianna held her daughter by was twisted at an odd angle, causing the girl to cry and scream. She looked forward to killing the girl and she would kill her in the traditional ritual, making the girl's death violent and painful.

Her thoughts were interrupted however as her son's fist collided with her face, there was a sickening sound of bone cracking as the blow knocked her down. The little girl nudged her mother's body with her foot. When she didn't move she ran to her brother and he picked her up in his arms.

"My arm hurts, Sarrey."

"Don't worry, everything will be fine." 

"But what if she gets up again? I don't want to be hurt again." He took her a few paces away from their mother and put her down.

"Stay right and don't turn around ok?" She nodded. He walked over to his mother and stared down and felt nothing towards her. A glance over the shoulder confirmed that Anna wasn't watching, he didn't want her to see what he was about to do. He took his mother's head in his hands just as her eyes started to open, staring into her black eyes he wrenched her head to the side, enjoying the satisfying crack as her neck broke. He walked back to his sister and picked her up again.

"Sarrey. we're not going to see a dragon are we?" He just looked at her. After running away from home in the dead of the night and seeing her punched, the only thing she could think of were dragons. He started to laugh, leaving his little sister with a puzzled look on her face. 

----

Within a week of escaping, Sarevok was losing all hope. His sister's arm had been broken by their mother and had developed an infection from it. A fever ravaged her body, her eyes no longer saw him and she no longer responded to anything he said. It was when they had stopped that they had been found by the Bhaalists. They didn't stand a chance against the cowled members as they quickly overpowered him.

That was why he was currently chained to a wall, awaiting to be sacrificed to Bhaal's glory as one of the members had put it. They hadn't bothered with Anna, they had just put her in the same room leaving her on the floor as she was barely conscious anymore. The only sign she was even alive was that her eyes would move every so often and would blink.

"Anna, get up, come on get up! You get now." No matter how much he talked to her she would only stare back at him. Her mouth moved as she did try to say something to him, only thing he could heard was his own name.

"Gorion there is no time, we must leave!" He heard a man yell from some where in the temple. Sarevok struggled as a figure in robes entered the room they were in and came over to him, one of his kicks landed a blow on the person's knees, letting him hear a satisfying grunt.

"Stop it, I'm not here to hurt you." The figure said as they pushed back their cowl, under it was a middle aged man, who smiled kindly at him.

"How can I trust you old man?"

"I'm not a follower of Bhaal, my name is Gorion and I'm trying to save you." Sarevok watched him as he pulled out a ring of keys and tried to find the right one to free him from his chains. After a few minutes both of them started to lose hope that he would be freed. Another figure appeared in the doorway as he tried yet another key.

"There is no more time, Gorion! We had to get out of here."

"Just a little more time I thi-" The figure grabbed Gorion's arm yanking him away.

"There is no more time! Grab the girl and let's go."

"I'm sorry child." He bent down and picked Anna up and had to uncurl her fingers from the cuff of Sarevok's pants. Anna went wild in his arms and started to scream as she was taken away from her brother.

**"NO! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!" **Sarevok yelled after them.

----

Gorion started down at his ward. It had been six months since he had rescued her and left the boy behind. He still felt guilty for not being able to save the boy, he didn't think he'd ever forget the sound of the boy's scream as they had fled from that accursed place.

When he had found the girl she was very sick and had almost died on him. After weeks of suffering from a fever, her mind had been affected and she couldn't remember any personal details of herself, save her name. Maybe it was for the best really, he could raise her the way he saw best and hopefully keep the prophecy from coming true. She was a bright child, she could read the only draw back was she seemed to be obsessed with dragons.

His ward was name Annalesca, Anni for short. At first he had called her Anna but she reacted badly to the name. She told him that someone named Sarrey called her that but when he questioned her about it she would start crying and become hysterical. At night he could hear her call this person's name over and over again. He guessed that it had been the boy he was forced to leave behind. He could only hope that he could make the child happy and be at the very least a father figure, it was the least he could do for her.

----

_Anni age 10  
Sarevok age 18_

Sarevok couldn't believe his luck. He had come to CandleKeep to research Alaundo's prophecies and to find further information of his father's legacy. Not only had he found what he was looking for but he found that old man who left him to die. If Gorion was here maybe, just maybe Anna was here. When he had first seen the old man he had wanted to kill him on the spot, but had held back only because he needed access to the libraries of Candlekeep. He doubted he would get much reading done if there were guards bothering him every ten seconds.

"Leave me alone!" Anni cried as one of the kids pushed her. There were six of them, mostly girls who would start with her almost everyday, each of the girls were human and taller than her. They picked on her for her height, the way she looked, the fact she wasn't from money like them and that she was a half elf. She didn't bother defending herself she didn't see the point as when she would fight back she always ended up even more hurt. She fell to the ground and curled into herself as they kicked her. She suffered their blows and taunts in silence and waited until they got bored and left her alone. She was sore when she finally made her way to the stables and laid down on a pile of hay. She hated living in Candlekeep some days, if everyone would just leave her alone she would be happy.

"Are you ok?" She looked up at the owner of the voice. Anni stared up at the speaker and could only stare. The person was the biggest man she had ever seen, his skin was a bronze color and his head was shaved, but it was his eyes that bothered her. They were amber in color and somehow she felt that she knew them.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Wow, you're really tall, how tall are?" Sarevok chuckled as he sat down in front of her. 

"I passed two meters this year."

"Wow, I wish I would get that tall, Karan told me I probably won't get much taller since I'm a half-elf. I hate being short." She pouted. After a moment of staring at him she reached out and touched his forehead, her fingers tracing over his new tattoo. "Why do I feel that I know you?"

"You don't know who I am?" She flinched at the coldness in his voice and for some reason she couldn't name she felt tears gather in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I can't remember anything before I came to live with Gorion." She stared at him as he got up to leave. It hurt her that he didn't answer her, so she picked up a rock and chucked it at his head before it could hit he turned and caught it.

"You always throw stuff when you didn't get your way Annalesca."

"Hey how'd you know my name?" She ran up to him and grabbed his hand. "You do know me! Please talk to me." She stared up at him and watched him look beyond her, his head slightly turned as if listening to someone she couldn't see... someone inside of him."You...you hear him too don't you?" She whispered. 

"Hear who?"

"The man. He wants me to do bad things. He talks to me every time I get picked on and when I'm around Gorion."

"What exactly does he tell you?" She shook her head.

"Not until you tell me your name!" He looked away from her and sighed. She wanted him to answer her, she had never been able to tell anyone about the man who talked to her as she was scared that they would all think she was crazy.

"Koveras." She wrinkled her nose, that wasn't the name she was expecting, though she couldn't think of what name she had been.

"He says I'm his favorite child, that I'll be his heir and that I'm the most powerful. I don't understand any of it. I don't even know who he is, he never tells me his name and he... he scares me." He knelt down in front of her and stared into her eyes.

"Tell me this, are you planning to take what he offers?"

"Why would I? Besides from other kids not liking me I have a perfectly good life. Gorion is the only family I need. I don't want some stranger's power."

"Remember your words, the power belongs to me not you."

"You can have it. I just want to be a really really powerful mage with no help from anybody. I want to be so good at it that even a Red Wizard would be jealous." 

"A Red Wizard of Thay?"

"Yep, there was one that came here one time, he was so cute and funny. I want one of my own someday." She smiled brightly. She opened her mouth to say more but stopped when a man in black mage robes entered the stables.

"Where have you been boy? It's time to leave already, your father is getting impatience."

"Forgive me Teacher Perorate." Sarevok stared at his teacher for a moment before following him outside.

"Wait, are you going to come back sometime?" Anni called after him and was pleased when he nodded. She wanted to talk more to Koveras, she was happy that she found someone she could talk to about the voice someone who would understand. She couldn't wait for the next time she saw him.

---- 

Anni age 22  
Koveras _: cough : _Sarevok _: cough :_ age 30

Anni smiled fondly at Karan as she entered the inner library of her former home. She wished that she had come home to stay but she wasn't here to rest. She had come to spy on the leaders of the Iron Throne. Karan talked as he talked as he always did, at a length and in a very roundabout way. She had always found herself falling asleep whenever he had tutored her in the past.

"Wait Karan did you just say Koveras is here?"

"Yes do you know him, my child, he is very _odd_."

"I met him once a long time ago. I'll go see him, thanks." She smiled. She looked towards her traveling companions, Khalid and Jaheira where talking with Tethtoril while Minsc was standing guard over Dynaheir as she looked over a book. Anni turned just in time to see Imoen leading Edwin over to a section of books, Imoen winked at her as she led the Red Wizard away. _-Oh gods she's not really taking him there is she?- _She stared as she realized Imoen was taking him over to the more... "interesting" books. She shook her head as she bound up the stairs to the second floor, she was eager to see Koveras again. It had been twelve years since she had met him but she couldn't forget about him for some reason.

When she got to the second floor she could hear his low deep voice echoing as he recited one of the prophecies that Alaundo had written. She followed the voice until she found him in one of the side rooms. She found him holding one of the older texts, his hand hovering just above the paper, his eyes closed as he spoke the words by heart. The words he spoke were about the children of Bhaal, a child like herself.

"You know when I asked if you were going to come back, I didn't mean in twelve years Koveras." She smiled at him but the smiled faded as she saw his eyes. They were brighter than she remembered, almost glowing in the ill lit room. She stared up at him as he stood to his full height and back away from the look on his face.

"I had no reason to return until I realized you, despite your words, were after our father's power." As she looked at him an image of him in ugly spiky armor appeared in her head.

"No, you can't be... you killed... no... not you...did you?"

"That old meddlesome Harper, your beloved Gorion." She backed away from him, immediately starting to cast a spell. Before she could utter the second word of the spell his hand was around her throat, lifting her off the ground. "Did you think I would allow you to finish that? Such a silly little girl." He shook her as and laughed as she clawed at his hand. "Did you think you could take what is mine? I am Bhaal's true heir while you are nothing." He tossed her aside smiling as she hit the wall and walked out. He had others to take care of first. After all there wasn't much she could do against him. He smiled as he thought of Rieltar's death.

----

_Anni still 22   
Sarevok dead._

Anni stared at the stone marker in front of her, there had been much protesting on the part of Imoen, Khalid and Jaheira, but she had this grave stone made for him anyhow. It was a simple marker with only the words,

"**Here rests the memory of Sarevok. Proud warrior and loving brother. May he find the peace he never had in life."**

He really wasn't buried there, his body had turned to dust after he had died. She had only a few things of his to remember him by now, his diary, his sword and a ring of protection. She had realized that the ring had been made for her as he mentioned it in his diary and it fit her perfectly. His diary was disturbing to say the least, some entries where coherent and others seemed to be written by some other person. She looked at one of the entries made on the day they were reunited twelve years ago.

"_I have found her at long last. I didn't think I would ever see my little sister again. As I write this I am both happy and sad. She is a happy child aside from the bullying of children. She looks at Gorion as if he was the world to her. It was how she looked at me a long time ago... Anna doesn't remember me. She stared at me with stranger's eyes, it was not the reunion I had dreamed of. If that wasn't bad enough, she hears our Father. She told me he tells her she will be his heir while Father tells me she is lying. I don't know who to believe, Father has been there guiding me for these last ten years while Anna is my little sister. Who can I trust? I don't know if I can trust her anymore as I was so unimportant to her that she forgot me. I will watch her. Should she become a threat to my plans, I will have to deal with her.And on a side note, why the hell did I say my name was Koveras? Gods, I am a moron sometimes"_

She found out that Anchev was a cruel bastard towards Sarevok and he suffered daily but survived. She realized that after they had been parted the only thing that kept him going as a child was the hope of seeing her again. He was always alone and almost always in pain. The only person who seemed to care for him was his tutor Winski Perorate, but in the end Sarevok believed he was plotting against him.

Towards the end he was paranoid, seeing plots against himself that weren't there. He trusted no one, not even the woman he loved, Tamoko. He became obsessed with the idea of being the Lord of Murder. He wrote endlessly of his father's promises, his lust for blood and how he would make the world run red. Bhaal drove him insane, reminding him of his weaknesses over and over again. In the end all he wanted was to make his father proud.

And now she had invited Bhaal inside, she had used his power and had enjoyed it. How long before she became like her brother? How long until she only lived to make her father proud? Anni touched her fingers to her lips and touched the stone before walking away. "Find peace, Sarrey. Remember that I will always love you, no matter how you are, you'll always be my big brother."


	2. A letter to father

Chapter 1: A Letter to Father

"_Dear Father,_

I miss you terribly. Imoen would probably laugh if she knew I was writing this, with you being dead and all. But this gives me some comfort. I can almost feel your presence as I write this. It has been a while since I wrote. I think the last time I wrote you was right before the battle with my brother, Sarevok. Did you know he was my brother? Or a better question, did you know that I was a child of Bhaal all my life or only right before we left? I wish you had told me. I regret everything that has happen since we left home. Do you remember Khalid? He has been killed. No I skip ahead. Let me start from my last letter.

I defeated Sarevok with the help of Imoen, Minsc, Jaheira, Khalid and Edwin. After the battle was finished, I fell to the ground and wept. I cried for Sarevok. Your killer. I could only think that if he wasn't a child of Bhaal he might have had a good life. What if I had been in his place, would I have been the same way? I don't know. I blame Bhaal for all this. Not any of the children. It is a curse and some of us cannot hold out for long against it. I just knelt in the cooling blood and cried. I think Imoen understood why I was crying and dried my tears and took me out of that forsaken place.

Several days later Edwin took off without a word, just like the ungrateful bastard he is. Jaheira and Khalid were called away by the Harpers and Minsc went home to bury Dynaheir. It was maybe a few weeks later people started to wonder about my blood line, wondering if I shared the same cursed blood as Sarevok. It's amazing how people will be praising you one second and the next trying to kill you. Imoen and I left Baldur's Gate and we decided to travel. I made sure to leave word for everyone, just in case any of them needed me.

It was then we were set upon by thieves or maybe it was bandits, either way they took Imoen and me. When I awoke, I was locked in a cage, staring up a man . . . I'm sorry the scars in my mind are still too fresh. Let's just say that man tortured me, all the time saying something about unlocking my powers. He did things to me for more than two months from what I can tell. The scars are healed on my body but how long until the ones on my mind are?

Anyhow Imoen helped me escaped and we found Jaheira and Minsc in Irenicus' dungeon. Oh! Did I meantion the man's name is Jon Irenicus? Why does he wants me to have my power I do not know, nor do I care.All I know is I will pay him back for the damage he has done! But, oh Father, some days I just don't know if I will be able to handle killing more people! It haunts my mind what I want to do to him.

I won't tell you, I doubt you would like it.

I mentioned earlier about losing Khalid? Well, it was this man who killed him. Poor Khalid, I cared for him like a brother. It was always fun to walk up behind him and go "Boo!" and watch him jump. He never got angry at me when I did it either. He would just turn and scold me for being a scamp, but you could see the affection in his eyes when he did it. He was with the others when they came looking for me, but he never made it out again. When we finally escaped Irenicus' dungeon, we found ourselves in Athkatla. It was there that, in an effort to stop Irenicus Imoen used magic against him, which caused a large amount of destruction in a portion of the city.

Then some blasted fools called the Cowled Wizards (Cowlies for short) showed up and took both of them away! Imoen was only trying to defend us but they wouldn't listen!

I haven't found where they took both of them. I refuse to lose Imoen. I will get her back. I write this while we rest for the night. We are in some place called Windspear Hills. We set up camp for the night. Oh, I did not tell you, I now travel with new people. Minsc (and Boo) and Jaheira are still with me and I ran into that slime Edwin and he is with us again. He was working with a thieves' guild and you should have heard him. "Do this, kill this." Dad, I think he's even more arrogant than I remembered if that's possible. Your good friend Jaheira is even more somber than before.

I can tell that losing Khalid has hurt her beyond what I would have ever thought. She was always so mean to him but she really loved him. I wish there was something I could do. Hey if you see his ghost can you tell him to go visit her or something? Minsc still talks to Boo, I'm really starting to wonder if he isn't just a normal hamster. Minsc has proclaimed me his witch and has vowed to protect me from harm. He's sweet, if only he wasn't... not normal . . .

I met an interesting fellow of sorts, his name is Haer'Dalis, he's a Tiefling. He's from another plane. I never imaged I would ever get to met someone else from another plane! He's not such a great bard, he's horrible... He's always calling me Raven. He told me the bird fit me. He's a flirt too. He's not serious about it though, he knows it makes me laugh. There are times I am grateful to have him around and other times I wish I could just cast a silence spell on him...

There is one other that travels with us, his name is Anomen Delryn. He is such a stuck up... thing sometimes, other times he is sweet. I'm starting to wonder if he's trying to woo me. It's the funniest thing, father. And Edwin gets all mad at him. Edwin is the same as always but he has been asking me questions now. The other day he yelled at me about walking the path of good, saying that all heros end up dead and I do not deserve to die. This is the first time I've seen Edwin show any kind of feelings towards anyone but himself.

I will stop here, father. The hour is late and I grow tired. Did I mention Boo likes me? He's soo cute. I kept a pouch of seeds for him to eat on me.

Good night Father.

With All my love,

Anni


	3. Campfire Talk

Chapter 2: Campfire Talk

"What is it now? You idiotic bard.(If he sings one more song, I'll ram a fireball down his throat)." Edwin yelled as Haer Dalis' approached him.

"Ah, my cardinal, do you suffer out here? If you get any closer to the fire you might as well sit in it." Haer Dalis' laughed as he sat down a good distance away from the wizard.

"In the middle of nowhere, freezing our arses off, helping people _again._ I will not suffer this much longer!"

"Then go back to Thay, wizard. There is more than enough people here to help with the Lady's quest." Edwin's eyes narrowed as Anomen joined him by the fire.

"Her name is Anni, not lady. She is far from being a lady." Speaking of which Edwin did not see her anywhere in the camp._ Where did that girl go this time? _

Minsc was asleep with that infernal rat sleeping on top of him. Jaheira also was asleep, twitching in her sleep, no doubt dreaming of that pathetic fool Khalid.  
Edwin stood wanting to get away from these annoying simians, he was not going to look for Anni(No he could care less about her). He walked into the woods away from the warmth of the fire. For the life of him he couldn't understand why he was out here.

He stopped as he heard muted crying. Sitting on a rock in front of a stream was Anni. Her small frame was shaking, her very long almost black hair hung down in the water. He could tell her robe now had mud stains on it. She were a red robe which wasn't unlike his own Thayvian colors. When he had first met her so long ago he at first though she was a Red Wizard, but latter found out that she only wore red because she liked it. He walked behind her and stared down at her.

"What are you sniveling about now girl?" Anni tilted her head back and looked at him.

"Ah it's my hero, Edwin. Come to take me from this place O knight of my heart?" She replied in a tone that was almost equal to his. 

"Yes, yes I have nothing better to do than to watch over a child." 

"You know I'm not a child. You're just jealous I look better." She turned back to the water. Edwin shook his head in disgust for seeking her out. As he walked away her voice called out to him. "Edwin? Can I ask you something?"

"What?"_ She must want my advice, knowing me very wise._

"Do you ever get tired of it?"

"Of what?"

"I know that you're a Thay wizard and the reputation they have, but do you ever get tired of having to live up to it?"

Edwin's eyebrow arched, this wasn't what he had be expecting.  
"Of course not. I am proud of my heritage and proud to be a Red wizard." 

"Oh." He started back again. "Don't you want to know why I ask?" 

"It seems you will not let this go until I heard you out. Then speak girl.(Hurry up, I want to get back to the blasted fire.)"

"I'm sorry Edwin. I thought you might understand. I can't talk to anyone else about it. I haven't been able to look Jaheira in the eyes since we found Khalid and well Minsc is Minsc, he's really nice but he wouldn't understand. And I don't know the others that well. I thought you might understand since you were there when I killed Sarevok." 

"You could try the patience of a Lich, what is the point?"

"You know what I am. I don't want end up as fuel or heir to Bhaal's throne, I have to be good but I grow tired of it all Edwin. I grow so tired of being good. Some days I want to... to... Oh never mind" When she went to stand she found that his hands where on her shoulders. He knelt behind her, he was still taller than her but his mouth was by her ear.

"No this is getting interesting. You will finish." His breath ticked her ear but she didn't move away, this was the closest she had ever been to Edwin, well not counting the times one of them were knocked out.

"I'm tired of having to prove I'm not like Sarevok. I want to give up some days."

"You have power in you, use it to make people respect you."

"No, the last time I used the power, I... I wanted to destroy everything." 

"What comes of always being good? Do you realize heros only have an expected lifespan of two years or less? Is that what you want? To die for people who won't remember you or your _good_ deeds?" He sneered.

"Gorion always taught me-"

"Gorion is dead. Forget his teachings for they will only result in your own death."

"Gorion died protecting me. All I bring is death, to everyone."

"Why fight it then? You are the child of Bhaal after all." Anni tried to turn on him to yell at him or maybe to cast a fireball at him, but he held her with his hands on her shoulders. When she turned her head it only put his lips closer to hers.

"You want to know? Fine. When I fought Sarevok, I felt the rage, I embraced it. I killed him with my own hands, not with my magic. I'm a mage for crying out loud not a warrior. After I killed him I could feel Bhaal's power and I wanted to kill everyone. Imoen, Khalid, Jaheira even Minsc. I won't turn on the people I care for."

"I notice you left me out. Is that because you didn't want to kill me or because killing me won't bother you?"

"Edwin could you back up a little?"

"No." If anything he seemed to get closer to her. She could feel his warmth warming her now. She looked him in the eyes noticing for the first time how black they were. She studied his face, with his nose ring with the chain that attached to his earing, the ring in his eye brow and how he had three rings on either side of his moustache. She noticed for the first time traveling with him that he was handsome. 

"I didn't think you would care one way or the other if someone cared about killing you. You certainly don't care if people know you want to kill them." She looked at him with wide eyes, hoping he didn't notice she was actually looking at him instead of just looking.

"How every true. But that is what people expect. Now answer my question girl."

"I wanted to kill everyone in that room. Including you. Some days I want to kill you even **without** the power's influence on me." Anni stared at him and noticed his lips twitching. "Edwin are you about to smile? I think I might faint from sheer shock." 

He didn't answer her only narrowed his eyes and walked away. She swore she hear him muttering.

"One day... one day" She didn't catch the rest.


	4. Waiting in the Windspear Hills

Chapter 3: Waiting in the Windspear Hills

Anomen stared at the woman who was fixing his wounds, admiring her skill. A few hours ago they finally found the ogres that Lord Jierdan Firkraag had asked them to take care of them. After they killed the ogres they realized too late that the ogres were really people, Knights of the Radiant Heart to be exact. Among the fallen was a knight named Ajantis, who Anomen had been friends with.

Ajantis had always told him of a woman named Anni and how noble she was but until that moment he had never made the connection. A man Garren had witnessed the battle and offered to help them. So they were saying in his cabin with his son. Garren was expected to be gone for at least a week which left them with nothing to do except wait.

Anomen looked around the room, Jaheira was asleep in the corner, from what he was told she had lost her husband recently and rarely talked and was always the first one to sleep. Minsc was a strange fellow with his hamster. He always talked to it and such. Haer'Dalis who was supposed to be a bard but Anomen was starting to wonder if bard meant "overly annoying and horrible poet" on his home plane. Edwin was yet again writing in his spell book. Anomen throughly disliked the wizard, he was **arrogant, annoying and overbearing**. _Who could stand a person like that?_

Then there was Anni, the woman who was tending to him. She was quiet pleasing to the eye and quiet as a woman should be. As far as he could tell she was just a cleric, but it was hinted she was also a mage though he had never seen her use one offensive spell. He had heard many things about her, many of which after seeing her, he couldn't believe.

This small woman was the champion who defeated Sarevok? Maybe one of her companions but she seemed too timid, too sweet to do something like that, for the lady didn't hurt anyone, not even the monsters they came across. She always stayed back casting spells to heal them or help them, once or twice she had used a spell to hinder the enemy but nothing that would hurt them.

"I prithee, my lady...it fills me with no small amount of wonder that you have not asked me of my journeys ere we met? We have traveled a short while, and yet we know next to nothing of each other." Anomen looked at Anni as he spoke.

"_Prithee?_ Did you get that from a story book, Anomen? Along with that horrid accent of yours?" Edwin taunted from his seat.

"Unless you answer to my lady, I suggest you say out of this wizard." 

"Just ignore Edwin. Please tell me about yourself." Anni smiled at him. Meanwhile Edwin glared at both of them.

"There is precious little to tell, although my few adventures have been glorious, indeed. The path to knighthood is a long one, however...hence the need for my travels. But a few of my deeds have reached the ears of bards. Battle is commonplace enough throughout Amn, and the Order has fielded its army many times in recent years. Most recently, however...let me think...I was with our men when the orcs came down into the Ommlur Hills once again. In great numbers, they are a force to fear...but individually, they are no match for a warrior. I, myself, was able to fight through many of them alone and take the head of one of their foul chieftans."

"If you believe **that **there's a bridge in Thay I can sell you Anni." Edwin remarked as he wrote in his spell book.

"You dare impeach my honor, wizard? I'll have you know-" Anni grabbed his arm making him sit down.

"Ignore him, Anomen. Edwin picks on everyone." He settled himself, ashamed of his outburst in front of a lady.

"I honestly don't see why you keep him around, what good is a wizard?" He remarked as she bandaged his bleeding wound. At his remark Anni tightened the bandage with a vicious tug. "What was that for?" 

"In case you didn't know Anomen, I am a mage like Edwin. As was my father."

"I spoke rashly my lady. I did not know you were a mage. I have only seen you use a cleric's brand of spells."

"Sadly, I haven't been able to use any offensive spells since Irenicus' torture."

"I am sorry to bring up such a sore topic, my lady."

"Anomen, you **do** know my name is Anni don't you?"

"Of course."

Several minutes went by as she put away her supplies as he watched her.

"I understand that Gorion was only your foster father and you were every close to him."

"Who told you this?"

"Jaheira was telling me the other day how like him you are."

Anni shot a dirty look over at the sleeping druid. "Yes, I was. I wanted nothing more when I was growing up than to be like him. I always imaged living the rest of my days in Candlekeep. I loved nothing more than to pour over the old tomes at night. There were some nights I'd fall asleep in the library and my father would chastise me the next day but he would be laughing as he did it." 

"Were you ever planing to leave?"

"I did want to leave for a while, just to find a husband but otherwise I was happy there. Then one day out of the blue Father got a letter and suddenly he was saying we had to leave that night. We fled home and it was that night Sarevok murdered him."

"I am sorry for your loss." Anomen caressed her check, comforting her when he saw tears shining in her eyes. "I do not mean to pry farther but I have an urge to ask. I have heard that his Sarevok was your brother."

She thought for a moment, thinking of the best way to phrase her words. ""He was my brother. I was very young when we were separated, and I didn't remember him until long after he murdered Gorion."

"You speak carefully of him, is it because you have been accused of having some sort of relation to the dead god of murder? The one named Bhaal?"

_I am so killing Jaheira..._ Anni glared again at the druid who twitched in her sleep. "Might as well tell you. Sarevok and myself are children of Bhaal. Bhaal created many children before his death, it was thought that the strongest, the last one to live would become the next god of murder but we're nothing but fuel. Fuel to allow him to be reborn."

"I have heard such. I was surprised when I met you that you have maintained an honorable existence. I...I cannot imagine what dark impulses your heritage must fill you with.." A across the table Edwin snorted.

"Oh I can think of a few, like murdering a certain Red Wizard, then going to Thay and making sure there are no more like him produced." She smiled sweetly. "But honestly, Anomen, I'm just a normal girl. I have my moments but I do what I must."

"I can't help to think of this man Sarevok, he shared the same blood and possessed great power which he used for evil and yet you have been able to maintain the higher road and saved the north from great chaos and destruction. Your blood must call to you in some manner. How do you maintain your sense of good under such conditions? Do you see this as a test of your own, my lady?"

"I do what I have to."

"Ah. You have given me much to think of."

"Well, now if you will excuse me, I need to make sure everyone is ok. Especially Edwin, he will never admit to being wounded. I swear he could drive a saint to drink."

"Why do you keep him around? It's obvious you two dislike each other." 

"Well, Edwin is a very powerful wizard for one and I don't think he has any friends but us." She looked at Edwin and lowered her voice so only Anomen could hear. "I think Edwin didn't have many friends growing up. He doesn't know how to act with people, I think he still expects us to screw him over. He's mean to everyone. But I know he enjoys when I talk right back to him. Plus I've grown fond of him, like some rare disease that you would miss if it suddenly cleared up." She smiled and walked away.

"And what do you want, _My lady_?" Edwin asked as she approached.

"We can do this the hard way or... what am I saying it's **always** the hard way with you. Let's go." She tugged on his sleeve making him follow her. She opened the door to one of the rooms that Garren had let them use. She pulled him inside and closed the door and then pushed him down sitting on the bed.

"If you want me, you only have to ask, _my lady_" Anni knew well enough the sneer on his face was really his secrete way of smiling.

"Very funny. As if I would ever welcome a Thayvian male in my bed. It's all claptrap about the prowess of the Thayvian men."

"Maybe lesser men, but not of me. There is none better skilled in the erotic arts than I."

"Yes, yes. I heard you got lessons from Elminster." Edwin went red in the face but before he could say anything she covered his mouth. "Be quiet or I'll use the medicine that stings."

She smiled as she sat down next to him and opened her supply kit. "Now if you would be so nice as to open your robe. I know you have a wound on your chest. I was going to wait and see how long until you asked for my help but you are very stubborn."

She smiled sweetly at him. After a few minutes he grudgingly opened the front of his robe, revealing him from neck to stomach. There were two bloody cuts, one high on his chest where it meets the neck and the other by his navel. She was quiet as she cleaned both wounds, making sure there was no dirt or anything that could cause infection. She then put her hand over the lower wound and muttered the incantation for healing, her hand glowed for a moment and when she took her hand away his skin was closed and slightly pinkish. She did the same with the other wound as she pulled away his necklace came into view. It was a rainbow obsidian gem that was in the shape of a teardrop. She had seen pictures of the rare stone but had never seen one that had a mix of red and gold.

"It is a memento of Thay. My family's stone."

"It's very pretty, Edwin. Can have it?"

"No. I would prefer if you would take your simian paws off of it." 

She ignored him. "Do you miss them or Thay?"

"I do not see how that is any of your business."

Anni just looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "Come to think of it where did you disappear to do after we saved Baldur's Gate?" 

"Again I do not see how that is any of your business."

"But at any rate I'm glad that you left when you did."

"Are you?" He was looking at her as she bit her lip, he wondered if she realized that her hand was still on his chest.

"If you had left with me and Imoen, Irenicus would have taken you too. Somehow I don't think that someone as proud as you could stand what he did."

"I will tell you where I was if you tell me why you refuse to cast any magic besides healing spells. At this rate we'll end up dead because you will not cast some much as a magic missile spell."

"It's because of Irenicus. He would cast different spells on me, testing my resistance, my ability to survive. Seeing how must damage I could take. How quick I was to anger, to disgust, to shame." She swallowed and rubbed her arms. "If he wasn't doing that, him with those knives, I'll have scars from him to my dying day now." 

"Ah, so that is your excuse? So you'll let him win and in the process get yourself and most importantly myself killed? And where exactly are these scars?"

Anni's head whipped up and she looked at him. "If you're so worried about dying then leave Edwin, no one is going to stop you. I for one would be happy to have one less person to worry about. I can't seem to get rid of anyone! People just seem to always want to travel with me." She sneered. "As soon as I get Imoen back and kill Irenicus, it's over." She made to leave the room but Edwin grabbed her arm causing her to fall against him. She braced herself against his chest and looked up at him.

"Edwin, what are you doing?"

"I-" Whatever he was going to say was cut off as there was sounds of fighting coming from the main room. She pushed off of him and ran.


	5. Owwww

Chapter 4 - Owwww...

_"A red dragon... a real red blood dragon. I can't believe this... Why me? Oh wait that's right, the gods think my life is one big joke, that's why..." _Anni mumbled as she stared up at Lord Jierdan Firkraag, a.k.a huge red dragon.

"Welcome. You have come as I wanted. It has been an interesting game, but to tell the truth, I tire of it." It spoke.

"You're a dragon." She replied dumbly.

"And they say children aren't smart."

"If you'll excuse me I've never seen a real dragon. I really don't know anything to say. Why are you doing this to us? Why frame us?" 

"For my amusement, for my curiosity, and for my memory of transgressions long since past. All of this spurred me on, but I grow bored with you."

"Oh, well I guess with the long life of a dragon, you tend to do it all. But why me?"

"I must confess your fathers held some interest. Your lineage crosses the mortal and spiritual, and both concern me somewhat." 

"Wait, are you that red dragon Gorion faced?"

"Quite. He is beyond my revenge, being dead as he is, so I settled for the next best thing. I can torment his spirit by destroying you. Wherever he is, he is seething."

"Can I interrupt your tirade with just one request?"

The dragon sighed. "Speak."

"Well as seeing we might come to blows and I'll probably never see another dragon. Could I _touch_ you?" She looked at the dragon with shining eyes.

"Humph. Fine."

"Sweet!" She approached the dragon slowly, her hand reaching out tentatively touching the cool scales. "Please continue, I'll listen, just want to touch, _pretty dragon_." The dragon sighed again. 

"You are bold, girl."

"Hey, it's not **everyday** that you see a dragon. Now you were saying something about my fathers?"

"Ah yes. You are a child of Bhaal. What an interesting subject to study, or so I thought. Really, you are not so different, despite your little personal struggles. What will be interesting is your conflict with Jon Irenicus. That is something I would very much like to see. So I leave you your life. Do with it what you will."

"What do you know of Irenicus? Are you in league with him?"

"I have no interest in him, it is your confrontation with him that will be most interesting to see. For now, you bore me. I will taunt you no more. This has been such sport that I bear you no ill will. You may go."

"Unfortunately, as much as a dragon might fascinate me. I'm afraid I will not allow you to continue your terrorizing activities." The dragon moved it's head really looking at what she was doing and realize she had worked her hand under a scale.

Before he could stop her she uttered the final incantation to a chain lighting spell. The dragon roared as the lighting ricocheted inside it's own body. It's tail connected with her body sending her flying as her companions attacked the dying creature.

--- 

From the journal of Jaheira.

_"When one is traveling with Anni the wonders never cease. As we waited for Garren, a group of bandits descended upon us, taking Garren's son and leaving a message to meet Firkraag in the northeast. No matter how much Anni may protest of growing tired of being good, she is always the first one to do the right thing. We fought our way through hobgoblins, orogs and creatures I don't remember the name for. We found Garren's son and he informed us that Firkraag was below. We descended into the cavern and was met with Firkraag's true form. A red dragon. Garren's son could have warned us. Most of us couldn't move, we were too stun/scared/on the brink of fainting. ___

_But not Anni. Gorion raised her well but sometimes I wonder if he ever taught her any common sense. She walked up to the dragon as he talked. I watched her place her hand on his leg as she talked with him. As the two of them talked she rubbed the scales on it's leg, I truly had no idea what she was doing until the dragon screamed. She had dug her hand under his scales and release a chain lighting spell inside of the dragon. ___

_The scales normal protected a dragon from magic but in this case it kept the magic inside as it bounced off of it's internal organs. After a second we went into action, attacking the dragon. The dragon screamed in it's thrashing it's tail knocked Anni clear across the cavern and into the hard stone. At the time I had eyes for the dragon and didn't noticed that Anni didn't get up. When the dragon fell as it died (almost on top of Edwin I might add, which sadly he moved out of the way) I turned to Anni. She hadn't moved and the stone behind was covered in blood. She always wore a red robe with purple in it, but all that could be seen was red." _  
End of entry

---- 

Haer'Dalis was the first one to Anni's side. He reached out to her unable to see her breathing. His hand searched for a pulse on her wrist but could find none. He looked up as Jaheira approached with wide eyes. "Jaheira, I'm sorry she g-"

"**No**, you lie!" She knelt by the girl's side. "No she is not dead yet. Her body will turn to dust when she is truly dead." Jaheira gently cradled Anni. "Help me move her."Haer'Dalis took her lower body as Jaheira laid her on the ground. "I'm out of magic, Anomen do you have any left?"

"Yes yes. Here let me." Anomen laid his hands on Anni and cast Heal on her. At first there was no response, then she coughed, more blood splattering against her lips. She cracked open her eyes and moaned. 

"**Owwww... **Did it work?" She whispered. Jaheira half cried half sobbed as she wiped some of the blood off of the girl's face.

"Yes, don't you ever do that again!"

"It did work? Wasn't that cool?" Jaheira just glared at her. " Fine. I'm not planning on doing it again. Is everyone ok?" 

"Yes, yes child. Now can you move?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not even going to try." Anni closed her eyes and sighed.

"Anomen, you carry her. Haer'Dalis go collect Garren's son, whatever his name is. Minsc, you help Anomen if he can't carry Anni. Edwin make yourself useful somehow." Jaheira ordered everyone about. Anni was more than happy not to be giving the orders for once. Before he picked her up Anomen removed his chainmail handing it to Minsc. Her mind was too fuzzy to wonder why he did such a thing. It became clear as he picked her up and she was nestled against his chest which was covered with a soft feeling shirt. _-He wanted to make sure I wasn't hurt any further, how sweet-_ Anni thought before she passed out.

---- 

They were resting in Garren's cabin again. Anni was slowly healing with Anomen and Jaheira taking turns healing her. Minsc and Anomen took turns sitting by her side and Boo was quiet as he was curled up by her hand. Edwin stayed in the room but otherwise showed no emotion about the whole event. It took two days before she would opened her eyes. At the time Anomen was by her side, he smiled brightly at her and she returned a wane one.

"How do you feel my lady?"

"Like I was sat on by a dragon. How long have I been out?"

"Almost three days." She sighed."I'm glad you are alright my lady." 

"Thank you, Anomen."

"Please for the sake of us all do not do anything like that again." 

"Ok. But you have to admit it was pretty cool."

"Yes it was. I thought you weren't practicing magic anymore."

"I wasn't going to. But Edwin pointed something out to me. Don't tell him he was right. He has a big enough ego."

"He instructed you to do something that crazy? By Helm, I'll kill that wizard."

"Don't bother, Anomen. I thought of the idea myself." She smiled at him. "I didn't know if it would work, either way if it didn't we probably would have died.

**"You didn't know if it would work?" **He yelled at her.

"Umm... no. But it _did_ that's what counts." Anomen dropped his head in his hands and started laughing. Anni just smiled. When he finally stopped he stared intently at her.

"What? Don't tell me I'm missing teeth or my nose is gone?"

"No, nothing like that, you are still as beautiful. My lady, I know this is the wrong time to ask, but I feel after this harrowing event I must ask for this boon."

"What would you like?" In the darkness she swore his cheeks reddened. 

"I would ask for a kiss my lady." Anni smiled at him.

"Why not? But only a kiss, Anomen."

Anomen leaned over her and touched his lips to hers in the softest kiss. It was a chaste kiss no tongue just lips. When he drew back Anomen's face was very red. His eyes didn't met hers as he made to leave the room he looked towards darkest part of the room where Edwin appeared to be asleep. _-For someone who doesn't like my lady, he does hang around a lot.-_Anomen passed it off and walked out.

Anni didn't see what Anomen did since she was already asleep again. All she knew when she woke she had a fuzzy memory of someone tucking her in and talking to her during her sleep, making her feel warm and safe.


	6. Gone too far

Chapter 5

They were currently traveling with a caravan back to Athkatla. Garren had arranged a ride for Anni considering she was hurt helping his family, so they were traveling with some merchants of Trademeet, who needed a little extra protection.

Anni was still unable to walk without assistance, so she was stuck laying on a bed inside a wagon. It was a really nice wagon, it was like a traveling room, complete with a bed and a couch, but she had wanted to walk, no matter how nice it was. Unfortunately Jaheira had threatened to tie her down if she didn't stay in the wagon.

What she didn't tell Anni was that she had to ride with Edwin. The merchants had asked him to ride in one of the wagons for two reasons, the first being they didn't want to be seen with a wizard of Thay, the other was because he was driving the merchants into murderous rages with the way he was acting. She glanced over at him, he was yet again reading one of the documents they had gotten for them when they were working for Mae'Var.

He was busy copying something into his own book and every so often she caught him tearing a page out and starting over. She was worried about him ever since she had been hurt, he seem to be more vicious with his words. He was driving everyone insane and they were more than happy to have her suffer his company for the duration of the journey since she insisted that he say with them.

But Edwin wasn't talking to her. She had expected every remark about her foolish action but nothing. She might as well not be here. This was worrying her a lot, Edwin passing up at chance at showing his superior self by pointing out how he would have handled the situation?

**This was unheard of. **

She remember there was one time he started with Minsc of how to handle a sword! She had never even seen him use one. When he had walked away Minsc looked at his sword and was going to use it on Edwin, but Khalid and Jaheira stopped him.

"So... What are you reading Eddie?" She smiled to herself as he stiffened, his hand almost breaking the quill he wrote with.

"For the last time, my name is **Edwin Odesseiron**, not Eddie or Odie or Ronny or any other shortened form of my name that your tiny brain can think up."

"Yes, I supposed it was your overly large brain that saved us from that dragon... Nooo that was _me_, you were too busy spoiling your robes." She smiled at him but he didn't even look up. She was sure something had to be wrong now. "Edwin, why aren't you talking to me?"

He sighed and looked at her. "I am hoping by not responding to your pathetic sense of wit, you will shut up." He dropped his gaze back to his book and continued to write. She only looked at him. A few minutes of silence went by before she spoke again.

"Oh come on. I'm bored." 

"I am not here for your amusement."

"Yes, because if you were I'd fire you already. Hey you still owe me a story. Remember our little deal? I tell you why I wasn't using my magic and you'd tell where you went after I killed Sarevok or you can tell me more about you. I would have thought you would be spouting every little dribble about how a smart child you were. Or did you constantly get in trouble? Maybe screw up a test or two? Like drinking a Potion of Confusion thinking it was a potion of Increased Intelligence?"

Edwin's head shot up and he glared at her, making him look evilish. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really? I recall a letter from a Master Dekaras to a certain student, chastising him about the misuse of potions, advising strongly against experimenting with potions when he didn't know what the possible outcome could be and reminding him of an incident when he was a child." The quill in Edwin's hand snapped.

"You were snooping in my private letters? Why you you _low brow ape woman_! You l-"

"Edwin calm down! If I had known you were doing to act like this I would have never said anything. Anyhow I didn't snoop, Imoen did." _-I had to bribe her to let me see what she was laughing so hard about. Best ten gold I ever spent.-_ "Edwin everyone does stupid things when they are kids. Would it make you feel better to hear something stupid Imoen and me did?" He just continued to glare at her.

"Let's see... I think it was when we were about the age of seven, Gorion had given me the task of organizing all the magic potions in the Candlekeep storage. Imoen was hiding from Winthrop so she won't have to do any work and was in the room with me. At the time she had this horrible black cat, she was always picking up strays and such, but anyhow the cat knocked over a potion and turned it's fur pink. And Imoen loved the color and decided to dye her hair pink too. Unfortunately the potion the cat knocked over was the only one. So Imoen starts pulling out potions at random and somehow knocked every single bloody potion on to the two of us. You know what the result was? I was changed into a combination of a squirrel, mouse and rabbit and Imoen, I still have no clue how to describe it. She looked like a combination of a orc, a halfing and a kobol. A bright pink one. Then the cat starts trying to eat me! And Imoen was given the I.Q. of a gnat and was just laughing. Gorion found us right when the cat was going to eat me and fixed everything. But he made both of us write: 'If Gorion ever asks either of us to do a task that requires a brain, disregard it for he must be out of his bloody mind' about six hundred times."

Edwin was smiling, a real smile, by time she finished. "See? Between the two of us I'm surprised Gorion didn't go bald. Though I do recall one time Imoen tried to cut his hair while he was asleep."

"There may have been a few mishaps when I was a child, but there otherwise I was a prefect child.(Aside from several incidents she doesn't need to know about)."

"The tell me about your family. What's your mother like?" She saw him hesitate before answering her.

"My mother is an extremely handsome woman, very powerful and greatly admired and very strong willed. (Not to mention her habit of breaking things when angry)."

"I see. I take it she's a terror when angry?"

"That is one way of putting it. My father is much more... amenable. He has his hobbies and gets very occupied with them.(I can only image what he is up to this time.)"

"I take it your mother mostly raised you."

"No, both of my parent were frequently occupied when I was a child, my father with his hobbies and my mother dealing with politics, most of my raising was left to our house assassin."

"They have house assassins in Thay? I thought only Drows had that. Interesting. I take it the assassin was Master Dekaras?"

"Yes. Master Dekaras is one of a kind. How can I describe him? Imagine that there is this person, who has plenty of aggravating quirks, who makes you push your brain to the point of implosion and for whom sarcasm is a deadly weapon. He annoys you, he challenges you, he frequently makes you want to strangle him. And then one day you open your eyes and you realize that he was your friend all along, always there when you really needed him. I doubt you could understand this."

"He sounds like someone Imoen would have a crush on. Yuck, I can see it now. 'Oh Dekkie you are so cool'." Anni shuddered. "Anywho. You have a bad case of hero worship you know. I can tell you care for him very much." -_And you sound just like him. Good lord, this Dekaras couldn't possibly be worse than you could he?-_

Edwin ducked him head and mumbled something about getting back to his writing.

---

It was several hours later when they broke camp for the night. Anni was allowed to sit by the fire for a while. She wished she had stayed inside though. Jaheira and Minsc hovered over her the whole time. Even Boo looked worried. _-Great, I think Minsc' craziness is wear off on me. I can't believe I'm thinking of a hamster as a person...-_

Haer'Dalis was gifting the merchants with one of his songs, which was not as bad as always, though she didn't care to be the subject of his musings. Especially telling people she defeated a dragon all by herself... Edwin had chosen to stay inside away from the "_ramblings of rabid moneys_". After listening to everyone for a grand total of twenty minutes, she asked if she could **please** be taken back to the wagon she was **ever** so tired. Anomen was kind enough to volunteered to carry her back inside. Edwin was laying on the couch across from the cot, apparently asleep.

"My lady are you sure it's safe to sleep in the same room as this wizard." Anomen whispered as he placed her on the bed.

"I've slept besides Edwin many times during my travels. Trust me, there's no interest between us."

"May I bid you good night with a kiss?"

"Just a kiss and that's all." She smiled as he kissed her good night.

---

The next day Edwin seemed to be in a horrible mood. He was even more acidic than usual if that was possible. She had tried several times to get him to talk about anything but he was very, extremely unresponsive. She had even tried to goad him into a fight but nothing! _Maybe he was sick?_

She sifted on her cot and really wanted to sit up but realize she couldn't do it without help. "Edwin, could you help me sit up, I'm getting tired of laying here on my back." 

"I would think you would be use to it by now." She could only gape. He had never said anything like that before. The only reason she could think he would say something like that is because of Anomen's kiss. _-Two can play this game...-_

"Actually I prefer to be on top thank you very much." That got his attention, he looked at her over his book. "Of course I've heard Thayvian males are weak when it comes to bed sport. Like a bull in a china closet. I would image you to be the same with you. With all your bravado outside the bedroom, I wouldn't be surprised if you had no clue what to do inside. As a matter of fact you're probably still a **virgin**."

"For your information many a concubine has been left gasping under the onslaught of my erotic pleasuring." 

"Ah, so you have to pay for company, pity for you. I never had to pay for any company."

"No you were paid. Tell me how **cheap** you are? Maybe a gold piece or two? Anything more I could not see paying more than five gold pieces for such _used _goods. I have a gold piece that should be enough to secure your favors." Anni's face went red, she struggled to sit up finding that she didn't want to carry on this conversation with her laying down. Pain shot through her body, she gritted her teeth, trying to keep from making any sound.

She could feel her back start bleeding but still she pushed herself. She slowly turned to face him, she put her legs on the wooden floor boards and slowly stood. Edwin looked up at her but didn't say anything. _-Must she wear something that can be practicality seen through? (Though the view isn't that bad.)-_ She stood looking down at him.

"I enjoy our little verbal spats but some things once said can not be taken back Edwin. Some things even said in jest or what not, can hurt more than you know. In case you can't figure it out, I'm referring to you naming me a whore." She took a breath and swallowed. -_I will not pass out. I will not pass out.-_

"In any case Edwin Odesseiron, I only give out my favors to men I care for, thus you don't have to worry about securing my favors since I would rather have Irenicus' touch than yours." She walked slowly to the door of the wagon wanting out of it. "And Edwin, until you can learn to curb that tongue of yours, I want you gone. You're out, we can make do without you."

Edwin closed his eyes, cursing himself._ -This is not good.-_Then next moment he heard a thud. Anni had fallen on the floor, the whole back of her gown was stained red. He stood, not caring about his papers or anything else at the moment. He picked Anni up and carried her to the bed. Placing her gently down he opened the door and yelled for Jaheira.


	7. Dreams

Chapter 6: Dreams

There was something wrong. This Minsc was sure of. The evil wizard had become silent, most likely plotting something horrible. Anni was still unable to walk without help, but then again it had only been a week since she was hurt. The cleric Anomen often carried her. Something was brewing but he couldn't figure it out. Even little Boo didn't know. When Boo didn't know the answer things were _bad_.

At the moment, he was given the task of carrying the small witch, a task he proudly did. Minsc had adopted Anni as his witch after Dynaheir's death. Anni was a good witch like Dynaheir, though she did not yell at him about Boo or other things like Dynaheir did. Minsc hated to think this but Anni was a lot nicer, and Boo liked her better and Boo was a good judge of character.

The only problem with carrying her was the fact that he kept almost tripping on her braided hair, which had to be longer than she was. She was sleep in his arms, lately that was all she did, was sleep. Jaheira had been giving her some herbs to sleep since she refused to keep still. They arrived at the Five Flagons Inn and requested rooms for the night. Minsc heard Haer'Dalis saying how he could put on a play with the new troupe while they were here. He couldn't wait. Haer'dalis was an amusing fellow, though a little _odd._

---

_Anni was running, her foot steps echoing in the empty library. She was home but at the same time this wasn't home. It was too quite, too dark for it to be Candle Keep's library. She couldn't figure out what was going on. Suddenly there were stone statues everywhere and her companions were laying on the floor._

"Why do you resist your power?" _She turned, her blood turning to ice. Standing there was Irenicus. Anni backed up and tripped over a body landing on the cold marble flooring._ "Why do you bother t-"

_Whatever he was saying didn't penetrate her mind, the body she had tripped over was Edwin's, on the left of her was Minsc and on the right was Anomen. She scrambled over to Edwin first and shook his shoulders. The next second he was walking again from her._

"No! Please don't leave me! Edwin help me! Please!" _After a moment Irenicus stopped talking and gave her a disgusted look_.

"Very well, we will continue this at a later date child."

--- 

Meanwhile in the real world...

_-Edwin! Help me!-_ Edwin jerked up right, he had been falling asleep watching this horrid excuse for a play. He could have sworn he just heard Anni's voice crying out to him. Which was impossible, for starters she was upper stairs asleep and secondly she wasn't talking to him. Any time he approached her she stared right through him. She didn't acknowledge him at all, his words falling on deaf ears.

The good part was since she was acting like he didn't exist, she hadn't told anyone of their... _disagreement._ He knew if any of the others heard that Anni wanted him gone, well let's just say there would be no hesitation. -_Is it my fault they cannot handle a far superior mind? -_

He walked out of the theater, with most of his companions watching the play, maybe he could talk some sense into her. He needed to talk to her. _-She is driving me insane. I can barely think when I'm around her.-_ He admitted this much to himself. Something inside of him just snapped when Anomen touched her, or spoke to her, or kissed her. Hell, Edwin couldn't stand Anomen at all. He was arrogant, annoying and overbearing. Who could stand a person like that?

Edwin only wished he had someone to talk to about all this. He definitely couldn't talk to Master Dekaras. _-He possibly couldn't understand what it is like to have one woman occupies every thought, driving you to distraction-_ He shook his head, no he was on his own here.

When he got to the door of her room he could hear muffled crying. -_Ah the perfect time to show her that I Edwin O- wait is there someone in there with her?- _Inside the room he could hear another male which could only be Anomen.

---

"My lady, please tell me why you cry. It pains me to see you like this."

"It was I-Irenicus. He invades my dreams, I can't shut him up and he shows me things, things of death."

Anomen was silent for a moment considering his next words. "My lady, I have hear some whispers of him from the group. The most I know is he killed one of your friends and captured you and your dearest friend. I would beg of you to talk to me so I know how to help you."

"Irenicus knew of my bloodline. I'm constantly having people try to use me or kill me. He knows something about the power inside of me. He wants to unlock it for some reason, I don't. For all I care the power inside me can go to hell. He... he tortured me, made me watch people died. And Imoen is trapped with him, she's losing herself, I can feel it." Edwin heard Anni's sobbing get louder. "I can still feel his touch on my skin, how he used his knives on me."

"He can't hurt you here, and I will be by your side my lady. I will endeavor to protect you."

"Thank you Anomen but if we do face Irenicus, you won't be much good. He's too good with magic, and you'd never be able to get close. The only way I can think of fighting him is with magic. Besides from myself, Edwin's the only who is powerful enough to help."

"Is that the reason why he travels with us? The reason we have to put up with his foul moods?"

"Yes. It was like that at first but now, I can't help but thinking Edwin hates me. I don't think he'll help me when the time comes."

"How could anyone hate someone so gracious as you?"

"Easy. I think Edwin is jealous of the power everyone is convinced I must have." _-And maybe you? Wow, If I believe that than I think I lost some of my brains when the dragon hit me.-_ She thought.

"It's been bothering me for some time, how did you come across him?"

"Imoen and I met Edwin in Nashkel where he told us he was sent to kill a Bitc- Wychalarn, named Dynaheir."

"That is shameless! How dare he propose to harm a woman."

"Trust me if you had met her you'd want to kill her too. She thought it was her business to tell everyone how to live. And to make matters worse she made me her pet project. Telling me how to dress, to act and such. But in the end it didn't matter, she was killed right before we got to Sarevok, Tamoko killed her for mouthing off."

"You do not feel sad about her passing?"

"Ok, you know how Edwin is? Take him, make him female and add hormones. That was **Dynaheir."**

"I see. I doubt I would morn the passing of the wizard if he died. I understand how you feel."

There was silence for a time. "Can I tell you something, Anomen? You can't tell anyone about this though."

"Of course you can."

"In my dream everyone was there. I was terrified. In my dream Irenicus tormented me and it's worse there since there's things that he can do in the dreams he couldn't do in real life. I wanted to get away so badly. I tried to get someone to help and I went to Edwin before anyone else but he turned his back on me. It hurt so badly and the worst part is I don't know if it would hurt me that bad if it was anyone else."

"Do you perchance care for him?"

"I thought I did, but he's made it clear what he thinks of me. That I'm lesser than him, he's oh so good." _-In that evil bad boy way-_ "That I'm a lose woman." Anomen started to raise his face all red. "It's ok, Anomen. I've heard worse. It's what happens when it's common knowledge that your mother was a whore."

"One cannot judge the child on the parent." His gaze darkened with something a kin to anger.

"Father or mother?"

"Father."

"Bet you he's not as bad as mine." She smiled sweetly. It took him a few moments to realize she was talking of Bhaal and not Gorion and he smiled back.

"Maybe our fathers should get together and give lessons."

"Yes, then we'd have a world full of miserable people. It would be such a happy place." She snorted. "Gods, why couldn't I have had normal problems? I wish I was born truly Gorion's daughter. Things would be less complicated then. No running for my life, no teasing growing up and best of all none of my friends back home would be dead."

"Maybe so, but then you would not have gained all the new friends you have or your good experiences."

"I guess."

"What I'm trying to say, my lady is, will you give me the chance to be by your side, allow me the chance to win your heart. I will not be a fool to turn away from you like some." 

"Oh Anomen, why not, it's not like there are many men beating down my door." _-At least not the one I want.-_


	8. Vircan Bard

Chapter 7: The Virrcan Bard

When one travels with a Bhaal Spawn one must always be prepared for the worst. For Minsc this worst had happened. The most loyal companion of all was gone, stolen. Boo was missing. Poor Boo had been taken by a mean little boy and then sold to a pet store and if that wasn't bad enough he was sold to someone else!

They had tracked down the witch he was sold to, but she told them a bard had stolen the hamster when she was trying to teach him to swim. It was only after she made them play a question game that she told them. That and Anni started strangling her. It had taken three of them to pull her off. The witch had then told them what happened.

So here they were a few miles east from the town of Imnesvale, standing in front of a large barn, where strange sounds where coming from. As soon as they heard the noise Anni's eyes went wide and she started smiling like crazy, Jaheira on the other hand looked slightly sick.

"Please child tell me _that_ isn't what I think it is."

Anni's behavior suddenly changed from a mature calm woman to... well _Imoenish._ "It is! A Virrcan bash. I haven't been to one for almost two years. Can we go in? Hell, I don't care I'm going to!"

"But what of Boo?" She stopped in mid-step and sighed.

"Well, the witch did say that the man who took him was tall, golden and mean looking right? And that we could find him here, right? That means it has to be the Virrcan leader, Simon, who happens to be a very good friend of mine."

"If I may ask my lady just what is that noise? And what is a Virrcan?" Anomen asked.

"Ah, the ultimate leech. Creatures from the lowest and most vile plane, Gaia." Haer'Dalis stated. "They feed off of emotions." 

"Only the bad ones! Geez, you got room to talk with being a Tiefling. Ever sing at on?"

"No. Their taste in songs are beyond abhorrent." Coming from Haer'Dalis that was saying something.

Anni proposed that only some of them go in, stating that not all of them would fit in. In the end it was Edwin, Minsc and Anni who would be able to get in. Jaheira and Haer'Dalis refused to go any closer to the noise that seemed to keep getting louder.

Anni had insisted that Anomen stay outside, telling him he would never be able to survive something like it.

"I do not understand my lady, why them and not I?" 

"Ano you look too goody two shoes. They'd eat you alive." He sighed and nodded.

She looked at the others. "Minsc should pass with his tattoo and Edwin with his piercings. Plus I always saw Thay wizards in these things." She thought for a moment. "Haer'Dalis, do you think they'll be fine? Any thing else they should do before going in?"

"Leave the armor and weapons, my sparrows. And I fear you will need less... covering my raven."

"I know. Get them ready while I change." She walked off.

"_Less _covering bard?" Anomen looked at him.

---  
When she came back Anomen's and Edwin's eyes bulged out of their heads, Jaheira only shook her head, Haer'Dalis nodded in approval and Minsc start to ask Boo something then realized he still didn't have Boo.

Anni was dressed in black leather pants hung low on her hips, that looked like they had been poured on, her shirt was black and had holes of varying size all over. When she moved it gave them all more glimpses of her pale skin.

Ten minutes later, after much fighting, (mainly Anomen not liking what she was wearing) they were ready to go inside. She had tried to get Edwin out of his robes but he refused, she didn't ask Minsc to change with her luck he would run in naked just to get Boo back.

Edwin really hadn't hear a word she had said since she changed. He had only seen Anni in her robes (expect for the time she was injured) and she was a sight to behold. Her skin was the palest ivory, ethereal, that was the word to describe it. If he stared hard enough he could see scars, like white worms marring her skin.

"What are you staring at wizard?" Anni still wasn't nice towards him but at least she was talking to him now.

"I am amaze by what means you are willing to go to rescue a rat.

"Boo is hamster." Both Anni and Minsc said at the same time. "Anyhow, I would do the same for anyone of you." Anni continued. "Though I do not hold the believe that you would do the same."

She turned away before he could answer her.

---

After only five minutes of being inside Edwin had decided this must be what the nine hell were like. The "music" was overly loud, one could barely breath with the masses of people pressing against him and it was too hot. Currently they were standing off to the side. The only good thing about all this was that Anni's body was pressed tight against his own and she had her mouth right next to his ear so she could talk to him without yelling herself hoarse.

"So you see, the Virrcans there absorb all the negative emotions, the music is just a cover. Most people will leave feeling better than they have in a long time. They give a temporary peace to people. Can you feel it Edwin?" 

Oh he could feel something alright. She was moving her body in time with the music (which sounded like screaming) and with the crowd pressed together her body kept brushing against him. When he thought about it (which was becoming harder, thinking that is) she did seem different, she looked happier and wasn't angry with him anymore.

"I miss coming to these but they can only come every so many months. Being happy is addictive, and if you stay around them too long you feel as if you can't live without them." 

She pointed to the stage as a man climbed up. The lights dimmed and he stood out in a single shaft of light. "That's my Simon." He could see her smile in the darkness. Her Simon appeared to be the opposite of Edwin. Simon had golden hair, his skin a light bronze color and was an elf, while he had dark hair, pale and human. 

Anni's Simon smiled as he stared out into the crowd. The people of Faerun always provided lots of food for his people, how he loved being here. As his eyes swept through the crowd he stopped on one girl. _-Anni-_ He smiled even brighter.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it seems our Dark Goddess has returned. May I ask that you join me again, my dark muse?"

Anni turned away from Edwin and glared at him. As she moved away Edwin could hear her mumbling, "He would want me to sing again..."

She approached the stage and Simon lifted her up. Edwin watched as she whispered something into Simon's ear who nodded. She turned and started out at the crowd Edwin couldn't help feeling that she was staring right at him as she sang.

"This song goes out to daddy dearest Bhaal.

_  
I am a product - of your conduct   
The uncontrollable urges that made me  
Have made us all - Are you proud? Do you even care?  
You taught us all to lie - that's how we made it here  
You should've buried the truth with your secrets  
But you were far to impressed with your pretense  
Now as far as I know, I don't know anything  
'Cause you made damn sure I wasn't anything_

Distractions, reactions  
The only way to go is to go away  
Discarded, retarded  
Before I let you go, you have to let me

Clawed away from human clay  
We are the broken shards, the art disarray  
Before you condemn, you rape them, feed us meconium  
Stunt our growth from our souls to our throats - cut!  
You shouldn't wall us up with your apathy  
But you did - now you're only growing enemies  
This is the catalyst, the alpha, the first breed  
'Cause you made damn sure - Now we're everything

Distractions, reactions  
The only way to go is to go away  
Discarded, retarded  
Before I let you go, you have to let me

Much to my surprise, I will wake up  
And follow the path of the ones I am made of  
But this time... I won't give in  
I will save you from my sins

Ensconced... in all that's wrong  
I slam you shut... I can only take so much  
How many times do I have to mistreat you?  
Constantly biting my hand as I feed you  
Maybe now you'll understand severity  
I'll sum it up with the best amount of brevity

Welcome to the transformation  
Welcome to annihilation  
Welcome to the man that wanted  
everything but couldn't have it!

Distractions, reactions The only way to go is to go away  
Discarded, retarded   
Before I let you go, you have to let me

Much to my surprise, I will wake up  
And follow the path of the ones I am made of  
But this time... I won't give in  
I will save you from my sins "

Edwin could only stare when she finished. She had been moving almost violently to the music and her voice... He never thought such a voice could come from her. She had sounded like a demon. He briefly entertained the thought that the only thing she had gotten from her bhaal blood was her singing voice. It wasn't bad... just scary coming from her.

---

Three hours later...

"That was fun wasn't it?" Anni smiled. After Simon and Anni had sung together for a few hours they all had retired to a the inn in Imnesvale.

"Like old times, An. Now I believe you came seeking me for a reason? Looking for one hamster I believe?" As if on cue a fuzzy little head poked out of his pocket. Simone chuckled as he handed the hamster to the very happy Minsc, who immediately went off to reacquaint himself with the hamster. Simon then turned to Jaheira.

"Jaheira, I wanted to tell you who sorry I am about Khalid. I know how much you loved him and he was a very kind man."

"Thank you Simon. If you'll excuse me." Jaheira walked away going to her room for the night.

"I don't suppose she'll let me ease her grief will she?" He whispered in Anni's ear who only shook her head. "Ah now. You have been ever so lax in your introductions Anni. Since she is so rude, allow me to introduce myself, I am Simon Doruto, long time friend of our own Anni. Unfortunately I know Haer'Dalis, tell me has your poetic gift gotten any better or is it _worse_?"

"Knock it off Simon, I won't have you starting fights." Anni glared at her friend.

"Fine. Let's see, I'm guessing this is Anomen and Edwin." He smiled at both of them. "Not that I really _care_, but I have much catching up with Anni." He grabbed her hand and walked off with her. A muscle in Anomen's jaw twitch as he watched Simon put his arm around Anni as they walked up the stairs.

"Just what kind of friend is this Simon?" He asked himself. He turned as Edwin started to leave and called out to him. "Edwin there is a little matter I wish to discuss with you."

"What is it?" He snapped. The last thing he saw was Anomen's fist rushing at his face. Anomen smiled as the wizard when down, he had put all his strength in to that punch. He felt no remorse for his action, in fact he was going to take it a little farther.

---

Anomen laughed as he looked at the knocked out Edwin, who was now laying in that wonderful mixture of hay and mature that coated the bottom of the stable. Just to be safe he had taken Edwin's spell components and his spell book and dropped them in a barrel of water. Anomen felt this slightly made up for what was said about Lady Anni. He doubted the wizard would tell her what happened and when he did strike back at Anomen, Anni would get rid of him. Anomen smiled feeling quite pleased.

---- 

Scribe: Yes the Virrcans are all mine. Touch them and suffer!


	9. Nightmares & Kisses

Chapter 8: Nightmares & Kisses

_There was blood everywhere, it was in her hair on, her clothes, pasted to her skin. As much as she tried, it wasn't coming off. There were bodies all around her. He kept making her kill them. She didn't want to kill anymore, why did she keep killing them? Her mind as numbed by the pain. _

"Time for another test Godchild." _His voice, it chilled her to the bone. There was no emotion to it. _

"Please no more. No more." _She whispered_.

"You will do as I say or Imoen will die." _Immy, that's why she was doing this. Who was Imoen again?_ -Immy, friend closest thing to a sister, have to save her.- _She pushed herself bad to her feet leaning against the wall of the room. The monster was staring down at her from above, watching, monitoring her as if she was some insect to dissect_. -No he won't kill me yet.-

_The door opened across the room, she didn't make a move for it she had learned what happened if she tried to escape. A man was pushed through, his clothes in tatters and as dirty as she was. Something inside bothered her as if she should know him. She tried to think but it hurt, it hurt too much. The man in question was a Half-Elf, his hair was too dirty to know it's true color, when he saw her his eyes widen. _

"A-anni? Y-your alive? W-where are we?" _He asked her. She covered her ears trying not to hear him as he continued to talk to her with an increasing stutter. It was harder to kill them when they talked. His eyes where wide as she started the spell. She couldn't remember the name of the spell anymore, she could remember how to do it and that's all that mattered. When she finished the spell, the man screamed trying to block out the sound. _

-Wail of the Banshee, that's what it's called- _Blood seeped from his ears as he fell forward_.

"J-jaheira." _Was his last word as his life left him. She stared at the corpse. _-Oh god, Khalid. What have I done?- _She scrambled over meaning to resurrect him before it was too late. Before she could reach him a hand grabbed her by the hair_.

"Such a bad little girl. You know not to try that." _The creature pulled her back. Pale skin and horrible taste in leather clothing, she watched too_. "I guess I get to play with you and your little friend again."

"No, I'm sorry. Leave Immy alone please, I won't do it again please." _She sobbed. The creature just smiled and laughed_. "No, no, no." _She kept repeating it over and over again, knowing that they wouldn't listen to her anymore._

---

It was several hours later when Edwin was finally able to go head back to the inn for some much needed sleep. Normally he would be asleep already, not wanting to risk himself being tired the next day and getting himself killed, since every time they went somewhere, someone was always trying to kill them. He would have been in bed hours ago if it wasn't for a certain armor-plated monkey with large enough fists to compensate his minuscule brain.

He resisted the urge to touch his swollen eye or to play with the empty hole in his nose. Due to what he had awakened in, he had to purchase new robes (along with a new spell book since his was missing) and bathe about twelve times before he was satisfied that he was clean enough. He had taken out all his piercing in order to properly cleanse himself and hadn't bothered putting them back in. As he made his way back he heard someone crying and repeating "No" as if it was part of some mantra. 

Normally he wouldn't even have stopped, but he knew the owner of the voice. He considered ignoring her and just go to bed. It was no good, he felt drawn to her. He found her on her knees, her hair spread everywhere, and her hands over her ears. She was rocking herself back and forth, her whole body shaking with her sobs. He reached out to touch her and was shocked when she screamed. She scrambled away from him her eyes wild as she looked at him.

"No more, please no more." She sobbed as she started to chant a spell. A spell that would kill him if she finished, he realized, his eyes widening with horror. He did the only thing he could think of that wouldn't hurt her. He grabbed her hands and silenced her with a kiss.

The kiss started out as a way to quiet her (it wasn't that he wanted to kiss her), but when she relaxed into him, her lips parting under his, he couldn't help himself. He kissed her as he had been wanting to for a long time. It was with his first taste of her came an unpleasant realization.

Anni was **drunk**.

He pulled away from her and she stared back at him with fear in her eyes.

"Get away before he makes me hurt you too." 

"Anni look around it's just you and me." She rubbed at her head as she started to cry again.

"Please don't let him hurt me any more Eddie. I don't want him to touch me **ever** again." She buried her face against his neck. He held her against himself not knowing what to say to comfort her.

How long he held her like that he didn't know. When she finally finished crying, she lifted her head up to look at him. She just stared at him. "Where's your nosering?"

"I took it out.(She tries to kill and all she asks is where my nose ring is!)" 

"Oh, I like you better with it. It makes you look cute." 

"I am a Thayvian wizard. I do not look cute." 

"Yes you do. What happen to your face? Here let me fix it." She raised up and placed a kiss on his swollen eye. He felt warmth seep into his skin, the same warmth that came when she healed with her magic. "All better!"

"You can heal with a kiss? (I wonder what else she can do with her lips.)" 

"Yep, I can do a lot you don't know about. Do you have any other piercings? Like hidden ones? I use to have something pierced until Gorion freaked out about it." She stuck out her tongue, on it was a faded ghost of a piercing. She smiled at him. "Simon has several you can't see with his clothes on. He has his nipple pierce and here too." _'Here'_ was the organ in his body that was all his blood saw fit to rush to as her hand rested on it.

She kissed him again, this time on the lips as she pushed him down on the grass. For once Edwin didn't have any sarcastic remarks or anything to say at all. Most likely this was caused by the lack of blood in his brain. Anni straddled him and propped her head up on her elbow staring down at him.

"I have an idea Eddie. A really good one."

"What? (Must remember she's drunk. Getting hard to think...)"

"I want you to trade in your year of service and-" She leaned down to whisper the rest in his ear. Half the things she whispered he didn't think she knew about and the other half he was sure they were physically impossible. He didn't move and neither did she. It took him a while to realize she had passed out on him. He started to laugh to himself. She was going to drive him nuts, if he wasn't already. 

---

The next morning Anni woke up with the worst headache. She moaned as she sat up, her eyes blinking at the overly bright light. When she could see without wanting to tear her eyes out, she looked around the room and blinked.

"Edwin? What are you doing in my room?"

"You are in my room."

"How did I get in your room? I didn't do anything did I? Simon and Imoen always say that I go crazy if I get too drunk."

"How much do you remember?" 

"Simon and I were going to drink the alphabet, I got up to R and I needed some air. Then..." She rubbed her forehead. "I had a bad dream. That's about it." She gave him a weak smile. She stared at him as he moved the chair he was sitting on in front of her and sat down. He was at eye level with her as he stared at her. 

"I believe it's time you tell me the truth of what happened while Irenicus had you." She stared at him, he wasn't his usual self at all. There was no trance of the sarcastic Edwin this morning.

"I told you already what happened." She did not want to talk about this.

"Anni, I know you're lying." He sighed and ran a hair through his hair. She was getting scared now, Edwin was _worried_ about her? "I want you to tell me the truth, not the lies you handed Anomen." He held up his hand when she tried to talk. "Imoen told me about your childhood while I traveled with you. You did not have the happy childhood you painted."

"She had no right to tell you. Gorion didn't even know half of the stuff that went on. I never told him about how much everyone hated me. I always thought that if he knew he would start hating me." She glared at him. "Why do you care what I tell people anyhow?"

"Anni, answer my question. What happened? (I won't have her sidetracking and I'm definitely not going to answer that question)."

"I couldn't protect Imoen, I tried so hard, I tried to do everything to help her. I don't know why I thought that he would do what he said. Irenicus learned that death and pain don't frighten me, at least not enough to hurt others. He used her against me, if I did what I was told he wouldn't hurt her. I love Imoen, I would do anything for her and she would do the same for me. I didn't think that he won't keep his word. I was so stupid! If he wasn't torturing me, he was making me kill people. It was them or Imoen and if I didn't kill them he would. Slowly."

She stared down at her hands. "He made me kill people, I was in so much pain, I didn't know who they were and didn't care I wanted it to stop. I kill Khalid, Edwin. I kill my own friend. When I tried to resurrect him, he gave me and Imoen to her creatures to entertain themselves." She spoke the last part in a rush and it wouldn't until several hours later that Edwin would understand what she meant. She turned away and ran to the door to leave the room. She made it half way before his arms pulled her back against his chest.

"It's not your fault. I would have acted the same way if it was Teacher Dekaras or someone else I cared for.(I knew I should have never left her. She could barely take care of herself half the time.)"

"Edwin, you're starting to scare me, you're acting nice."

"Considering you almost killed me (Then propositioned me with the most interesting erotic acts I've ever heard of) I decided to give you a break. Though not for long."

"I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. I should just leave, I don't want any of you getting hurt." He turned her around and shook her.

"Anni you are **not** a martyr, stop acting like one all the time. No one would be here if they didn't want to be. You can't save everyone. No is so disgustingly good as you. So you don't have to keep trying to make up for what happened."

"Disgustingly good?" Her lips twitched.

"Quite. Do you realize how many times I've been called a "hero" while traveling with you? I'll never be able to show my face in Thay without getting laughed out." She smiled and hugged him.

"Thank you Edwin. I'm glad at least one person won't blame me for what happened. You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"I will endeavor to keep your oh so sacred secret.(If you think I'd let that whiny knight know, you would have to be out of your mind. I can see it now. "Prithee my lady of my heart, let me fight for you in thy stead" He'd probably get himself killed. Wait that's not such a bad idea.)" She laughed and walked out of the room.

---

Anni had finally got cleaned up and was very happy to be back in her mage robes. She couldn't believe she had told Edwin anything. Edwin of all people and that he listened without one remark. She strangely felt better, a lot better. She had never considered telling anyone what had happened.

_-Oh I can see it now, Jaheira I killed Khalid to save my own worthless hide Oh and to protect Immy which didn't work.-_ She snorted like that conversation would ever happen.

She was busy braiding her hair when Simon came in. From the looks of him he had a hangover too.

"Good morrow, my nymphetamine."

"I wish you would stop calling me that. I am not a 'woman a man gets addicted to.' You know that annoys me." He chuckled as he took her hair from her and finished braiding it for her.

"You know I like to tease you. I regret I'm leaving soon."

"I wish we could see each other more often."

"I doubt Jaheira would enjoy that. As I recall, she couldn't stand me as a child." 

"Couldn't be because you cast a spell that had her and Khalid in their room for over a week could it?"

"You would think she would **thank** me for that. You people are so weird. Speaking of weird, I'm going to be in my real form when I leave."

"Oh joy this should be interesting." 

----

Anni couldn't help staring at Simon as she said goodbye. He was in his true form, it was... different. His golden hair was in small tight dread locks, his skin had changed from it's golden color to a deadly pale and his eyes where pure black as where his lips. He had also put his piercings back in, which included both eyebrows, one in the center of his bottom lip and most of his ears and when he talked there was a flash of silver. His hands had also changed, they seemed thinner and slightly longer, the nails were black and filed to points.

If that wasn't enough to give him an evil appearance, his clothing finished the job. He wore all black, the material was similar to leather but was more flexible. His top was tight almost straining against his skin, there were three sections that left his chest bare, revealing his pierced nipples and another place his stomach bare, showing his navel ring. The sleeves covered his whole arm and were hooked on his thumb. The bottom of his attire was nothing more than layers of the heavy black material forming something that looked like a skirt. She knew without question that in the layers were different implements of torture, including knives, hooks and chains.

"Ah to be in my own form at last." Simon smiled as he cracked his neck. "Oh forgetting something aren't I?" Anni rolled her eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned forward. In a spray of blood black wings emerged from his back. Simon smiled when he saw the looks on the faces of her friends.

"What are you?" Anomen gasped. Simon just looked at him then Anni who shook her head.

"Oh come on Anni, I never get to scare anyone here." He didn't seem so scary as he begged the much shorter half-elf.

"Fine! Don't blame me if anything bad happens."

"I, unlike my nymphetamine, I am a full god. Though like her I am a god of the darker pantheon. I will not tell you my true name only that I am the god of tortured souls. I am the one that administers eternal pain to those that no god will take and believe me there are many." He smiled at Anomen's expression. "I still lead the Virrcans who were once my people. Do not allow my duties to reflect on your opinion of them."

"If you are a god how did you grow up with Lady Anni?"

"Ah that. I grow bored every so often, when you live as long as I, you see almost everything. I was told of what Bhaal had done. I took an interest in the children and decided to see how it would play out. That is why I assumed the form of an elf of Faerun. I found most of them boring same old destruction and what not. I came across this one and alas I found myself drawn to this brat and cared for her as a sister." 

At that moment there was a rumble of thunder, Simon sighed and yelled. "ALRIGHT! I'm going! You know these guys are so damn impatient. They can't stand me being here for too long." He hugged Anni and started to kiss her goodbye.

"If you care for her as a sister why go you kiss her as a lover." Anomen had just had to open his mouth.

"I care for her more than you could ever understand. How I kissed her is my business." 

She just looked at him, a slow smile coming over her face. "Anomen, Simon is a good friend, but honestly it's not me he would like to kiss goodbye. Would you care to see who he really would like to kiss?" Anomen looked around the only other female was Jaheira.

"If no one else has a problem I see why not." No one else seemed to have a problem.

"So, I can kiss the one I really want to?" Simon raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching. 

"Go ahead, Simon. No one will say anything, right?" Anni smiled brightly. Simon shook his head and walked towards Jaheira, at the last second he turned and took Anomen in his arms and kissed him full on the lips. Anomen tried to push him away but the Virrcan was strong and he found out first hand that Simon's tongue was indeed pierced.

Anni was laughing so hard she almost fell, Jaheira was also laughing as she had known about Simon's tastes. Simon let Anomen fall and walked over to his friend.

"Not as good as I would have thought. I do wish you would have let me kiss the wizard, he looks more promising." Edwin had been chuckling but stopped as soon as he heard this. He suddenly wished for thicker robes or something as Simon looked him over. "Now time to go I guess."

Anomen had gotten back to his feet and was red in the face. "You should have told me he enjoyed such perversions, my lady." He spit on the ground. Simon stiffened, his back ramrod straight and Anni was silent. The next thing Anomen knew Anni's fist rammed right in to his face knocking him on his ass again. 

"Don't you ever dare to say something like that again." She hissed as she pressed the end of her staff into his neck. "Simon is more a brother to me and Imoen than you will ever know. I will not allow anyone to talk to him like that!" At the moment Simon was trying to back her off. His arms and wings were around her as he spoke in his native tongue soothing her. When she finally relaxed he let her go.

"Anni it's ok. I've heard worse. Geez I swear only you and Immy act like this." He gave her a kiss on her cheek. "I'm getting out of her before I cause anymore problems. Don't forget to kill Irenicus real slow. I cannot wait until I get my hands on him, I plan on asking for his soul and will enjoy showing him what real torture is." Something akin to a dreamy expression came over his face as he smiled. He then walked to the barn where others where standing, he turned and waved as the barn and the Virrcans disappeared.

"Let's go." Anni turned and walked off, leaving Anomen on the ground.


	10. Pain & Bhaal

Chapter 9- Pain & Bhaal

There were days that Anni really really wanted to kill someone. Today it was Edwin. After regaining Boo from Simon they had left Umar Hills at Edwin's insistence and headed to the Graveyard in Athkatla. They had walked for almost twenty hours straight, every time Anni had called a break, Edwin would keep going. She had no choice but to follow him. In fact the only reason the rest of the group had followed was because she refused to let him go alone.

They were now at the Graveyard, the sun was slowly rising and it would soon be a new day. She tried one last time to reason with Edwin.

"Edwin, for the love of Lathander, we need to rest." She yawned.

"Hmph. If you insufferable monkeys cannot keep up I will go myself."

"Can we not just leave him, my lady?" She just glared at Anomen, who wisely shut up.

"Edwin Odesi, Odeses, um...what the hell was it again?" She always stumbled over his last name, which annoyed him to no end. Usually with him threatening her with a fireball if she didn't get it right. He turned around and started his usual rant.

"**Odesseiron**! Stop butchering my name with your lack of the common tongue." Instead of backing up his threat or continuing it like usual, he turned and started towards the crypts.

"If Edwin would put this much thought and effort into his job, we would have beaten Irenicus already." Jaheira stated. Edwin ignored her, intent on finding that Nether Scroll.

"Well, you can say one thing about him, once he gets something in his head he won't let it go." She shared a look with Jaheira. "**Edwin Mordred Alexander Odesseiron**, I demand you stop this **instant**!" Anni yelled at his back. She had learned at an early age nothing will stop a person like the use of their full name. Inwardly she cringed, thanking Lathander only Imoen and Gorion knew her full name. Edwin turned slow enough that she could pull off her little plan.

Even though he was grown up and now a powerful Red Wizard, there were few things that could strike terror in him like the use of his full name. He could count on one hand how many times it was used by his mother.

Usually after he had done something he really shouldn't have. The fact that Anni even knew his full name angered him. The only way she would know it is if she had been snooping through his stuff, again. Two things became apparent as he looked at Anni. One, she looked half dead on her feet and the other being she was chanting a spell.

"You wouldn't dar-" Was as far as he got before the sleep spell she cast took effect. She watched as he crumbled to the ground and yawned again.

"So who's going to carry him?"

"I vote we leave him here. All in favor?" Five hands went in the air.

"We are not leaving him here Jaheira. Minsc, could you pretty please carry him?" She gave him her best puppy eyes.  
"Boo does not like this, but he agrees no one can resist hamster eyes. Yours are better than Boo's when he wants more to eat." Minsc walked over to the sleeping wizard and lifted him over his shoulder to carry him like a sack of grain.

---

Twelve hours later, Edwin finally awoke and was greeted by the sight of Anni looking through his stuff.

"Good evening Edwin, have a nice sleep?" She just looked up at him as he ripped his book out of her hands.

"I have told you before to stay out of my stuff, you -"

"Edwin, I'm just worried, this whole scroll bit could be dangerous. I wanted to double check your translations and see if any of it hinted to it being dangerous."

"Keep your dirty little scabby paws out of my personal belongings! Those translations are to be seen by people of the upmost intelligence only not for little girls like you!"

"I'm not getting in this fight with you. I'm telling you right now, after we get that scroll you are going to let me see it and you will not cast whatever it is without being there to heal you when you blow yourself up."

She reached in her pocket and pulled out several scrolls. "Here a peace offering okay? Here's some summoning scrolls, I know how much you like them. Oh and don't forget to cast protection from evil before you use the last one. I do not want another incident like last time."

"It is hardly my fault if you cannot keep up with my spell casting."

"You know, the more time I spend with you the more I really respect your Teacher Dekaras. He must be a real patient man not to strangle you or worse." She left the room quickly before he could get a word in.

---

"This is it. This must be it. This has to be it! The just and unjust alike will all fear the overwhelming power of Edwin Odesseiron and his Nether scroll!" Anni just glared at him seriously considering knocking some sense into him with her morning star. Of course he didn't notice any of them leaving, except for Anni, since he was already entranced with the scroll.

-_Who would have thought there would be a lich guarding it! A lich and what does he do? Demand the scroll and then really piss off the lich.-_ She was starting to wonder how he ever made it pass his teen years. "Edwin you do remember what I said right? And I do hope you're going to use it to help us right?" She reached for the scroll to look at it, his response was to hit her hand with his staff.

"Try to touch the scroll again, you'll pull back a stump.(Head, limb, leg...your choice.) I will use this for the benefit of the group, I assure you. (Yes, I assure you of that.) But no one reads it but me." She rubbed her now sore hand and kicked him in the shin. He yelped and hopped on one foot holding his abused shin.

Anni grabbed the scroll out of his hands and started to look it over. She dodged him as he tried to get it back. For once being shorter than everyone came in handy as she evaded him. After a while she stopped trying to even look at the scroll, she was having more fun with teasing him.  
She was laughing as he finally caught her, his arms were around her waist holding her back against his chest. Her laughter died when she turned her head to look at him. Their lips were only inches apart, she wasn't sure which one of them moved, maybe it was both of them, who ever moved closed the distance and they kissed. Her lips parted under the pressure of his. She whimpered softly as his tongue entered her mouth. Her hand came up to clasp the back of his neck as he deepened the kiss. Her other hand was held by his, their fingers entwined. After several long minutes he raised his head to look at her. They stared at each other for a few moments, neither of them blinking.

Before she wretched herself out of his arms, he saw something akin to fear in her eyes. Her thoughts raced as she tried to think of something to say. _-I need to get him away from me before he finds out. I would rather have him hate me than look at me with disgust if he found out what happened. What will piss him off the most?-_She forced her face to be blank and her eyes as dead as she could get them.

"Well, that was certainly pitiful. Here I was considering taking you as a lover, but not only are you a weak powerless man, you are also a horrible kisser. Why I ever considered someone like you is beyond me."

"Anni?" He was speechless.

"Seriously, I have more power in my little finger than you could ever dream of. Maybe with more power and training you might be an acceptable lover. Until then I don't know why I bother." She turned and walked away heading for the exit._ -I'm sorry Edwin. It's better this way.-_

Edwin felt like a piece of himself had been ripped out. He watch her walk away from him. His fists clenched tightly, almost crushing the Nether Scroll. He looked at it.

"Not enough power? I'll show you Bhaalbitch."

---

Anni was feeling miserable by time she reached the doors to the graveyard. She didn't want to hurt Edwin but she had no choice. She ran her hands through her hair, which had come lose from it's binding, her hair fell around her like a cloak. She wished it could shield her from Edwin's eyes, the way he was looking at her she was surprised she wasn't bleeding or worse. All thoughts of Edwin were pushed from her mind at the sight that greeted her. Her companions where engaged with several vampires. She ran down meaning to help her friends when she saw **her**.

_-Bodhi-_ The creature's name hissed through her mind. She felt a wash of red rage as she stared at the creature. Bodhi's eyes connected with Anni's and smiled. Anni wanted to kill that bitch so much but she knew she could never take on Bodhi by herself.

-**You could if you would just accept my power Annalesca-** Bhaal's voice entered her mind.

"Gee, 'dad' I was wondering when you would show up again. You've been too quiet. And do not call me Annalesca, my name is Anni."

**-The name your mother gave you was Annalesca, daughter.-**

"Oh get out of my head."  
-**Take the power I offer, you can kill her then.- **Purposely images of what Bodhi had done to her replayed in her mind.-**Kill her.-** He whispered. Time seemed to stand still as he waited for her answer.

"Yes..." She hissed.

It feel like she was burning inside, but it felt good. She closed her eyes as it washed over her. She remember the first time she accept the power when she faced Sarevok, it had felt good then too. The world had slowed down, everything was still moving but much much slower. She walked towards Bodhi ignoring everything around her when she neared the vampire she lifted her morning star and swung it as hard as she could into her face.

As soon as her weapon connected the world returned to it's normal speed. The blow to Bodhi's face sent her flying landing through one of the gravestones. She slowly got to her feet, just as Anni brought her weapon down again this time hitting the back of her skull.

"This is not over child of Bhaal." She hissed as her and her minions turned to fog and disappeared.

"Dammit! You **coward**!" Anni screamed, she lashed out at the closest thing, which was a gravestone, and punched her fist through it. She didn't even blink an eye when she managed to destroy it with one hit. She could hear the others behind her drawing closer. She could hear their hearts beating, smell their fear and she knew how easy it would be to kill them all. She closed her eyes feeling something growing deep inside her. She smiled as she realized that if she wanted to she could change form and become the Slayer. She wondered what it would be like to kill them all.

**"They will all died eventually. You can hasten it, make it less painful for them."** Bhaal instructed her. **"They fear you. If you do not kill them now, they will kill you."**

"Yes **Father**."


	11. Note to self: Listening to Bhaal is bad!

Chapter 10- Note to self: Listening to Bhaal is bad!

Jaheira watched her friend and was worried. No not just worried. She was scared. She had only watched as the child moved with speed that she had never seen, then she took on the head vampire herself and quite thoroughly beat her. When the vampire disappeared taking the others of her kind with her, Anni had screamed and put her fist through a gravestone.

"By Silvanus this can't be happening." Jaheira gasped as Anni turned to look at them. Her mouth was twisted in a evil smile and her eyes were glowing. _-Just like Sarevok's- _Anni just stared at each of them, but not really looking at them, her head cocked to the side as if listening to someone.

"Everyone back away slowly. No sudden movements and don't make a sound." No one questioned her as each of them started away from Anni.

---

While they slowly moved away, trying not to draw her attention, Anni was listening to Bhaal as he talked to her. She remembered that when she was younger he would try to force her with his yelling and threats but now he sounded like he cared. His voice was quiet and soothing to her as she listened.

-**You know you can't trust them. They fear you and what people fear they seek to destroy. Look at each one.- **She did as he told her, looking first at Jaheira**.-The druid seeks only to preserve the balance, she fears you gaining to much power. Do you think she would stop and listen before killing what she saw as a threat?-**

"I don't know. What about Minsc?"

**-The ranger is addled. He would never understand what we have planned.-**

"It's we now? I thought all you cared about was yourself." Bhaal's laughter echoed in her head.

**-I care for each of my children, Annalesca. Some more than others. You have such potential more than your brother Sarevok had.-** The praise warmed her inside. It had been too long since anyone had been proud of her. The last person who had praised her had been Gorion.

"What of Anomen, he cares for me?"

**-He's serves the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart. Do I have to draw you a map on this one?-**

"Last time I checked you needed hands or at least a body to draw. Haer'Dalis?"

**"He's a bard, a bad one at that. What more do you need?"**

"Edwin?"

**-Look at him my daughter. He has always been jealous of your power.-** She shook her head.

"He may be but he wouldn't turn on me."

**-Did you even listen to yourself earlier? He hates you just like you wanted. If you do not kill him now he will learn the truth. You know he will be disgusted, after all who would want soiled goods?-**

"Shut up." She whispered.

**-It's all your fault it happened. Had you just accepted what you are, it wouldn't have happened."-**

"Killing them won't change it. They haven't done anything to me. They won't turn on me."

**-They deserve to die. Did any of them suffer like you have?-**

"Jaheira has, she lost Khalid."

**-WHOM YOU KILLED. HOW LONG BEFORE SHE REALIZES IT? YOU DON'T ACCEPT WHAT YOU ARE BECAUSE YOU FEAR THE ABYSS.-** He was yelling now.

"Yes, when I do die I don't want to end up there." She admitted and Bhaal laughed at her.

**-SILLY CHILD, ALL OF MY CHILDREN END UP IN THE ABYSS SOONER OR LATER. YOU WERE SENTENCE TO THE ABYSS BEFORE YOU WERE BORN.-**

Anni's blood ran cold. She had known this on some level but she didn't want to accept it, but hearing Bhaal say it drove it home. She was tired of fighting her father, the call of her blood.

What did it _matter_ if she was damned no matter what she did. She might as well earn her place in the Abyss. Her hand went to the sword she carried but never used. It had been Sarevok's sword, she carried it to remind her of what could have been. None of that mattered anymore.

She wasn't surprise that she was able to lift the sword with one hand, something she could never do before. She smiled as she handled it and looked to the others. They would be a fitting start to earn her place.

---

"Lady Jaheira, I don't understand what is going on. Why are we leaving her alone here?"

"Look at her Anomen, she is allowing Bhaal to influence her. She was like this only one time before, Imoen was the only one who could get through to her." At least Jaheira hoped she wasn't.

"I don't understand. She s-" He was cut off as he was pushed out of the way as Anni's sword came down where he used to be. She backhanded Anomen's face which sent him sprawling on the ground. She swung her sword again, hitting Minsc in the head with the flat edge of the sword, he went down falling on Edwin who had been in the process of casting a spell.

Having taken three of the group left she was left with Jaheira and Haer'Dalis. Both tried to talk to her, to stop her but their words were not heard. She used the speed she had gained from her power and grabbed Jaheira by her braided hair and slammed her head against Haer'Dalis'. Since both of them had hard heads, (especially Jaheira) the two when down easily.

Edwin had just managed to get himself out from under the overly large berserker and was in the process of getting up when a foot on his back pushed him to the ground. Anni grabbed him by his robes and flipped him over onto his back. She stared down at him with eyes that glowed, casing the rest of her face in shadows.

"Pity, I had hoped for more of a fight." Her voice was overlapping with another voice, which sounded like Sarevok's. "All will **die** before me." She laughed. Edwin knew if he didn't do something he was going to die. He reached in his robes and stabbed her leg with the dagger he pulled out.

The pain chased Bhaal away from her, her mind cleared and she stared down in horror at Edwin. "What have I done? Why was I listening to him? Oh god." The sword slipped from her hand and embedded itself in the ground too near to his face for his liking. Her legs gave out from under her, causing her to land atop Edwin. She buried her head against the wizard's robes and started to cry. "_I'm sorry, I'm sorry_." She kept repeating over and over again.

---

Surprisingly enough Anni was the only one who was really hurt. Her left hand was broken from putting it through the gravestone and her calf had been stabbed from Edwin. Jaheira and Haer'Dalis only suffered from bad headaches, Anomen had been hit hard enough that he was still slightly dizzy and Minsc... well another blow to the head didn't mean much.

No one had said anything, to each other or Anni, none of them knew what to say. Jaheira was trying to think of something to say, but Anni won't meet any of their eyes. She knew that it could have turned out much worse than it did, but what could she say that wouldn't hurt any of them farther? She had been the one that suggest they go to the nearest inn and rest. What more could they do?

Anni had stayed in the common room for all of ten seconds before leaving after having a quick word with the innkeeper to order food and rooms for her companions. Once inside her room she collapsed. -_What did I do? I wanted to kill them. I'm not like that... I can't be. Is all this the darkness I hold inside?-_ She stared at nothing as she sat there. -_I might kill them next time. I can't take the chance. I won't become like Sarevok. I won't listen to Bhaal anymore.- _

She opened up her pack and took out paper and a quill. She knew what had to be done, it was the only way she would be able to protect everyone. She had been thinking of the best route to take as they had walked to the inn. She had already taken measures to make sure no one stopped her, slipping the innkeeper an extra twenty gold and one of the strongest sleeping potions she had, she had instructed him to put it in her companions drinks and food. She knew it would take an hour to work, then none of them would wake up for the next twelve hours, by then she would be gone.

She wrote the first letter to Jaheira and read what she had making sure it covered everything:

_Jaheira,  
I'm sorry things came to this. I realize that I will put all of you in danger if I continue traveling with all of you. I am doing the only thing that I can see that is right. Or as you would say the only thing that will maintain the balance. I can no longer hold Bhaal back and keep my sanity, I don't want what happened tonight to ever happen again. I know that if it did, I wouldn't stop, I would kill everyone. I only ask that you find Imoen and rescue her. Tell her I'm sorry I couldn't be there to save her myself. Tell her about what happened tonight, she will understand. I hope that you can understand one day. I'm sorry Jaheira. Do me a favor? Pray to Silvanus for me? Or someone to help me.  
Anni._

The second letter was harder for her to write:  
_Edwin,  
I'm sorry for what I said to you. You're not weak. You're actually one of the best mages I've ever known. I wanted to push you away before either of us were hurt. I would rather you hate me than be disgusted by me. I can't tell you what I'm hiding from you, I would rather you not have that memory of me. I hope you can forgive me one day and understand why I did this. I don't want to hurt you ever again Edwin. I almost killed you, I can't stand to see that happen ever again. Please forgive me.  
Anni._

She stared at the letters and seal both of them. While she waited three hours until she was sure everyone would be knocked out. She then left the room, sliding the letters under the right doors. Returning to her room she sat down on her bed and stared at the dagger that was in her hands. Soon she won't have to worry about anyone anymore.

---

Edwin rubbed his poor aching eyes, he had been trying to translate the Nether Scroll and wasn't having any luck. His mind was not on the scroll, which would give him more power, but on a certain Bhaalspawn. He couldn't forget the look in her eyes as she had stared down at him, about to kill him. He understood now when she said she had to be good.

Then there was the other thing that bothered him, the kiss. It wasn't so much the kiss as to what was said after it. He knew she was lying, at least about her not enjoying it. He had enough experience with women to know that a woman didn't press her body against him, hold him closer or anything else she did if she didn't enjoy it. After the kiss he saw fear in her eyes. He didn't understand it, what did she have to be afraid of?

He sighed and put the scroll away, it was obvious he wasn't going to get much done tonight. As he put his stuff away he noticed something had been slipped under his door. He picked it up and read the short letter. 

_-She wouldn't leave. Would she?-_ Just to make sure he decided to check her room and see if she was still there. The sight that greeted him was far from what he expected. She was laying on the bed, her one wrist was hanging over the bed as blood dripped out slowly. Without thinking he tore material from his own robes and wrapped it around her wrist. He shook her calling her name, trying to get her to open her eyes.

---

Anni was floating in the darkness, she wanted to let it embrace her, take all the problems away but someone was calling her name. She wanted to ignore them, but she couldn't. It was Edwin calling her, she could not leave when he sounded so worried. She opened her eyes to find him hovering over her, she reached a hand up to touch him to see if he was real. She saw his lips moving but didn't hear what he was saying.

"What are you doing in here? Why aren't you asleep like the others?" She mumbled, her eyes drifting shut again.

"Why are you acting so foolish and trying to kill yourself?" She opened her eyes as his fingers dug into her arms shaking her awake.  
"I don't want to kill anyone. It's a lot safer if I'm dead. I almost killed you Edwin, I didn't feel anything when I was about to do it. I couldn't have cared less. He turned me against all of you and I let him. I was so angry at all of you and jealous too." She sat up and leaned against the headboard.

"Jealous? (Of course who couldn't be jealous of me.)"

"Did you know that no matter what happens, I'll end up in the Abyss? I've always been a follower of Lathander, I've only done a few really bad things and yet I'll go to the Abyss, where Sarevok is. All I could think of is if I'm going there I might as well earn it."

"Normally I would steer you down the most logical path but after your little display (and almost killing me) I don't know what to say."

"Gasp, the great red wizard doesn't know what to say!" She smiled at his scowl. "I'm sorry, couldn't resist." They just looked at each other for a few moments before Edwin took out his letter.

"Would you care to explain this?"

"I knew I should have just left them in my room." She mumbled. "I didn't want you thinking that I thought badly of you."

"And the rest?" She looked away from him.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I notice you didn't say anything about the kiss. I happen to know for a fact that you lied about how you felt." When she wouldn't look at him he turned her head and kissed her. Her hand came up to cup his cheek as she deepened the kiss. He leaned into her, enjoying the feel of her body against his. When he broke the kiss, she couldn't meet his eyes.

"I didn't lie. I didn't feel anything."

"Tell me, am I carrying a hamster and have I turned into a lumbering drooling monkey, since you seem to think I am that lacking in intelligence?" He got a small smile out of her for that one. "Anni, just tell me, the only thing that could disgust me is if you are secretly a paladin. (Then I would have to kill myself for the sheer humiliation of it all)."

"No nothing like that." She took a deep breath and look away from him as she talked. "There's two things I guess I don't want to tell you. Me and Immy are or were more than just friends. Up until last year we were lovers." Edwin sudden had a **very** detail mental picture in his head and actually had to shake himself out of it.

"I hardly see the problem, most people experiment before finding what they want."

"Did you?"

"Err... this is about you not me." She started to smile.

"You did didn't you? I feel better knowing that I'm not the only." She bit her lip. "I guess you still want to know the other thing don't you?" He nodded. "Irenicus, he... he tried to." Anni stopped. She looked like she was going to be ill. "He can't feel anything and he tried to."  
She stopped again and covered her face and spoke into her hands. "He tried to rape me, when he couldn't do it he let Bodhi do it. They did it to break me and they did. After that I started to kill the people they wanted me to kill. I should have fought them, I should have done something but all I could think of was the two of them-", She gagged"_touching_ me."

He moved closer to her and took her hands away from her face and made her look at him. "Listen to me, it wasn't your fault. You did what you had to. It doesn't matter to me that you had to kill to survive. (I wonder how many ways I can painfully kill Irenicus.)"

"I was scared to tell you." 

"Why?" She mumbled her answer, causing his eyes to widen. "Repeat that. (It must be the shock of almost dying that's making me hear things.)"

"I love you Edwin." She stared into his eyes. "I've loved you since I met you back in Nashkel. I didn't want to tell you because of everything that was happening with Sarevok trying to kill me. I had planned to tell you after everything was over but you had left before I could even talk to you."

"Anni. (I knew I shouldn't have left)" He kissed her again. "You have to be the most stubborn, insufferable, annoyingly naive beautiful woman I have ever known. Despite your obvious faults you have enchanted me. There is nothing that you could do that could possibly change that, nothing that you have told me has changed that."

"Edwin are you trying to say you love me?" He looked shocked as he thought about it.

"Yes, I guess I am." She smiled at him, he realized that it was the first smile he had seen that reached her eyes, chasing away the darkness that was always present. Anni spoiled the moment by yawning, and Edwin realized that she had to be tired, in fact so was he. When he started to move she grabbed his hand.

"Don't leave me alone Edwin. Can you stay with me please?" He only smiled as he agreed.


	12. Anni & Sarevok

Chapter 11 - Anni & Sarevok

While Anni had been contemplating suicide her companions were left in the common room, most of them staring at their food or at their drinks, except Edwin who had his Nether scroll out and was in his own little world.

"Well, that was certainly interesting." Haer'Dalis broke the silence.

"Interesting?! Is that all you can say bard?" Anomen shot back.

"What else can be said, Anomen? What can we say that won't hurt Anni any further?" Jaheira rubbed her head looking at them. "I suggest that none of us even try to talk to her about this. Anything that we say will either drive her away or confirm Bhaal's words to her."

"What do you mean Bhaal's words? I know she is one of his children but it was my understanding that she did not know him."

"She doesn't know him. Bhaal lives inside each of his children. He speaks to them, tries to turn them into what he wants. He will tell you your every fear, expose your every doubt and twist everything until you cannot see the truth."

"Lady Anni told you of this."

"Not directly, Anni talks extensively in her sleep and she had talked to Imoen and Khalid about this. She was scared to tell me of it for some reason but they told me what she said. Bhaal has been able to talk to her since Gorion died. I remember that when she met up with us she wasn't very trusting of us, which was odd since we had known her since she was a child. It wasn't until later Imoen told us of what Bhaal was saying to Anni." 

She took a sip of her ale. "Anni has changed more than I can say since she started hearing Bhaal. I believe that since he started talking to her she feels she has to be..." Jaheira paused, searching for the right word.

"Annoyingly honest? So honorable that it would make paladin feel shame?"

"Thank you Edwin that is enough. She feels she needs to make up for being able to even hear him, much less actually believe him."

"You mentioned something of this happening before."

"Yes, when she fought Sarevok. She took him on herself while we fought his minions."

"From my understanding this Sarevok was a monster of a man, very strong and such. How did she defeat him?"

"She ripped his heart out."

---  
__

Six months ago   
"This is it. I can feel it. He's inside." Anni turned to her friends as she looked them over. "You guys don't have to come with me. This is between me and Sarevok."

"Child, we must heal ourselves before going to face him."

"There is no time, if I do not face him now he will get away. I need to stop him. I have to talk to him."

"Talk?! He killed Gorion Anni. The bastard needs to die."

"**Shut up** Imoen. I was there when Gorion was killed and I'm the one that Sarevok's been hunting all this time. Not you, all of you can go home for all I care."

"P-p-please reconsider. You are in n-n-no condition to fight." Khalid pointed towards her broken arm, which was lashed to against her chest.

"The coward is right for once. You are useless at the moment.(I have not come this far only to die a fool's death by rushing into this)"

"Child please-"

"No, no more words. You can't understand, all my life I've always had a dream that haunted me about a boy I called "Sarrey", one that I was taken away from. Can you guess who Sarrey is?"

"That's impossible you were only a mere babe at the time. You were too young to remember what happened."

"I was five, not a baby. After this is over Jaheira, I want the whole story, I want to know how Gorion found me." Without another word she pushed the doors open. Inside the horrid temple Sarevok stood in full armor along with three others, but Anni only had eyes for him.

"You are indeed family. No other could have lived to oppose me in person. Of course, it will not matter in the end. Ultimately I will prevail, and a new era will be born unto the Realms. Come "little sister" let us finish this."

"I do not want to fight you Sarevok."

"Typical weakling. I'll kill you, just as I killed that old man Gorion."

"Take off your helm. I want to see your face."

"An odd request, perhaps you are one who wants to see the face of their murderer." Anni stepped towards him as the helm landed with a thud on the ground. 

"I was right. You are Sarrey. You weren't just a dream."

"What are you babbling about, girl?"

"I thought I was imagaging things, but I was right. Sarrey don't you remember me?"

"Stop calling me by that foolish name, girl." His eyes where fixed towards her but weren't seeing her.

"Look at me, really look at me, see me as I am, not as the ward of Gorion." For a moment his glowing eyes faded to the amber ones she remembered as a child. "You **know** me. You protected me once upon a time. You came to Candlekeep a one time while I was growing up, you talked to me. I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner. I don't want to fight you Sarrey." She slowly came closer to him. "Don't you remember? You taught me how to play chess as soon as I was able to sit at the table. Of course you regretted later when I always won."

She reached up and touched a scar by his eye. "Remember I gave you this when I pushed you into the table that one time? Remember I always called you Sarrey because I had problems with the v and the k? Remember how it was always just us, how mother didn't care about us? Remember you were the one who taught me to read?" He looked at her seeming lost, not knowing what to do.

"Anna?" His hand reached out to her and rested on her cheek for a moment but only a moment as his eyes flared back to their glowing state. Before she could step back he grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head back to a painful angle. "Did you expect me to fall for such silly **sentiments**? I have always known who you are and who I am. I am not that weakling child you remember **I am the next Lord of Murder**." The sound of fighting momentarily distracted him as he looked on at her companions fighting his. It gave her enough time to reach up and rake her nails down his face. The pain caused him to loosen his hold on her allowing her to free herself.

"I didn't want to fight you! I wanted to help you, you **knucklehead**. I want my big brother back!" She backed away as he came towards her with his sword. There was no one to save her as her friends were too busy fighting the others. She dodged his sword and continued to stay out of his way. "You promised always to take care of me! You said you would always be there big brother, that you would never hurt me!" For a moment he faltered, his eyes fading to amber before changing back.

"You betrayed me little sister, you and that old man left me to die. You forgot me."

"I was **five** Sarevok! It was not my fault!" She screamed.

"It doesn't matter. You will fall here today as you should have in the temple so long ago Annalesca. You were never worthy of Bhaal's blood."

"Fine we'll see who's the better child of Bhaal. What do you say, Sarevok, just us, no weapons, no armor. Just the natural skills. And no help from any of these mortals? Or are you scared that without your fancy toys you are nothing?"

"What game are you playing at? We both know you do not stand a chance against me."

"I know you, every time you had a challenge you **had** to take it. If you let it go for any amount of time you would always start second guessing yourself. If you don't do this you'll always wonder if it's only your weapon that makes you better than me. You'll never know if I would have beaten you had you not had that sword and that ugly armor. What do you have to lose? You'll be facing a girl with a broken arm. All I'm proposing is you face me with the powers that our father gave us. After all this isn't chess, you might have a chance."

"I will enjoy this. This is one game you cannot beat me in." He laughed as he embedded his sword into the floor and dropped his armor to the ground next to it. Sarevok didn't need the armor to look scary, he was mostly muscle and was nearly seven foot tall, which for some one like her standing only at five foot three, it was impressive. She remembered that he was still fast for his size, he had always been.

**_"Finally really to accept me are you daughter?"_** Bhaal's ever present annoying voice asked.  
"Yes yes, can we get this over all ready?" She hissed. "And you know it wouldn't have killed you to take the form of a human when you sleep with my mother like you did with Sarevok. I hate being so damn **small**." She added peevishly. He laughed.

She clutched her head as she let Bhaal inside her head voluntarily, when she opened her eyes they glowed just like Sarevok's. "What is this trick?"

"Did you think you were the only child that could use his power?" She ripped her arm out of it's bindings and smiled as she move it. "Interesting, I was always a fast healer but this is **ridiculous**. Come brother let's end this."

She made no move to defend herself as he backhanded her knocking her down. He stood over her and reached down to haul her to her feet when her leg came up and kicked him with all the force in her body between the legs. No matter what heritage a man has, all will fall to a hit like that, Sarevok was no exception. As he fell Anni's hand hit him below the ribs, but her hand did not stop there. Her hand went into his skin and under his rib cage. They where both on their knees, eye to eye, her hand holding his heart.

"I'm sorry Sarrey." She whispered.

"Impossi..." Were his last words as she pulled his heart out of his body. She watched as his body went rapidly decomposed until there was nothing but dust left.

---

_ Present Day _

Jaheira and Minsc told their versions of what happened, leaving Anomen and Haer'Dalis gaping at them. Sometime during the story, Edwin had become pale and left with his scroll without a word.

"How did she control herself last? Did she turn on you then?"

"No, Imoen rushed to her side before she could do anything and then Anni started to cry." 

"It was a most glorious battle, right Boo?" Minsc laughed.

"We were lucky to survive that battle. We were all injured but Edwin suffered the worst, I had to resurrect him. I believe that's why he left shortly after."

"It's a pity he found you again."

"Edwin's amusing in that "What the hell is wrong with you?" kind of way."

They sat in silence as they ate their food, Minsc was hungry enough he ate Edwin's untouched food. After some more strained silence they all decided to turn in for the night.

---

When Jaheira opened her eyes it was late into the day. Her mind felt hazy and out of sorts. _-Almost like I had been drinking.-_ She sat up slowly and shook her head trying to clear the cobwebs from her mind. It was after she had refreshed herself and changed that she noticed the letter. After reading it three times, she walked to Anni's room.  
She sighed knowing that either she would find a pile of dust or all of Anni's stuff gone inside the room. She pushed the door open a little too hard but caught it before it could slam in to the wall. The sight in front of her was not what she had been expecting.

On the bed was Anni and Edwin. Jaheira was thankful that they were both fully clothed. _-That is one image I do **not** need.- _Part of her was jealous as she looked upon the two. In her sleep, Anni's head was against his chest, her body tucked tightly against his, her one arm around his waist while she had her thumb in her mouth. Edwin had his arm around her while his other hand had her hair wrapped around it, as if he was scared to let her go.

"It's about time." She whispered as she quietly closed the door. She felt her heart ache, she missed her Khalid. She remember mornings waking up to him holding her and now she had nothing. It had taken her time but she knew there was no one to blame for his death except Irenicus. She did not have Khalid to keep her warm at night but she did have her dreams of vengeance. They almost made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.


	13. Move over Freddy, Bhaal is the new night

**Chapter 13: Move over Freddy, Bhaal is the new nightmare master!**

Anni had so far spent two whole days locked in her room with Edwin, leaving only when necessary and then she made sure not to run into the others. She was still too scared to face her friends, and Edwin had no complaints about staying in the room with her what-so-ever. At the moment she was laying in bed with his arms around her waist, he was snoring softly, his breath tickling the back of her neck.

She enjoyed waking up like this, she liked even more when he woke up first as he had his own way of greeting the morning. She especially liked how he would complain over her choice in sleep wear, since unlike him she preferred to wear something to sleep. Of course, Edwin Odesseiron had a perfect body and did not need to cover himself like a common simian. This remark had caused a small fight which did end very nicely.

She wasn't a morning person, everyone was always awake before she was, so why was she up now? Something had woken her up, but what? The room was blisteringly hot, which was odd since Athkatla never was _that _hot. She opened her eyes slowly and swallowed a scream at the sight that greeted her.

She was **home**.

Not at Candlekeep though, no that would have been _pleasant_. This place she had awakened in was her mother's home. She turned to wake Edwin but he was no longer there, she was alone. The room still looked as the last time she had seen it, drawings of dragons littered the wall and the few books they had were stacked neatly against the wall. The bed she laid in was the same that she had shared with Sarevok many years ago.

Though Anni was back in this place the thing that bugged her the most was the fact she was still small enough to fit in the bed. She stood and walked the length of the room, going to the one thing that was out of place. The Sword of Chaos was propped against the wall, she picked it up, the familiar weight was a comfort to her.

She could hear footsteps nearing the room and watched as the door opened.

"No...no not **you**!" She whispered in horror. The woman who stood in the doorway was beautiful. The woman had dark-brown hair that fell to her shoulders, her amber eyes held nothing but contempt for the girl. She was graceful as she walked towards her, the women's purple and black robes seemed to float around her. Anni forgot for a moment that she was twenty years older than the last time she had seen this woman.

Alianna was beautiful, so beautiful it made Anni mad, she would never have her mother's or Sarevok's bronzed skin, or their light eyes. Alianna's beauty hid her the ugliness of her character, Anni supposed that only women as evil as her could be that beautiful.

"Still a disrespectful little bitch, I see." Her hand shot out and grabbed Anni by her hair and started out of the room dragging her along. Alianna cruelly pulled her daughter along, not once hesitating at the chance to drag her when she lost her footing. She pulled her through the house until they reached her private altar. Anni was thrown at the base of the altar, which was still wet with fresh blood. "The time is ripe, and you are no longer needed to live. So long I have waited for this, to watch your blood grace **HIS** alter."

"No, no please don't hurt me anymore, I promise I'll be good." Anni's terror of her mother had regressed her mind back to that of a child's.  
"You can beg you foul creature, it will only make your death all the more sweeter." Alianna laughed as the girl screamed for her brother. "He can't hear you where he is. He will not stop me this time!" She raised her sacrificial dagger, intending for it to find a home in Anni's heart but was surprised when another blade found its way into her own stomach.

"**No**! Not this time. Never again will you terrorize me Alianna." Anni screamed at the woman, pushing the sword deeper into her. Anni felt so happy at the look on her mother's face. She laughed with pure happiness but it soon caught in her throat as the world seemed to melt and reform. She was no longer in the house but a field and with horror the person impaled on the blade was no longer Alianna but one sage.

"My child, what have you **done**?"

"No, daddy, I'm sorry, I-" She pulled the sword out of Gorion, catching him as he fell. "Daddy I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"My blood is on your hands, my child. My death is **your** fault." She lowered him to the ground, trying to call on her powers from Lathander to heal him but she couldn't feel them anymore.

"No it's not my fault! You won't die." She placed her hands over the wound and drew it into herself. It fascinated her every time she used this power that came from her divine blood. She watched as the wound closed, knowing after the skin closed that inside of him everything was also fixed. She backed away hating what came next. Each time she had been forced to use this power, she hoped that this next part would not come but it always did and it **hurt. **

She screamed as an identical wound to the one Gorion just had, ripped itself open on her body. Her insides burned as infection set in first, the wound oozed yellowish green pus and blood dripped from her mouth when she coughed. The pain increased as her body's organs started to shut down on her, soon she could no longer breath and she fell to her back to stare at the night's sky.

She did not die though, that would defeat the whole purposed, she suffered through what Gorion would have suffered if he had never been treated for the wound and yet kept alive to suffer. It was over within a few minutes though to her it last a lifetime. The wound on her stomach was now closed and the only sign it had been there was the blood and other fluids on her clothes. She felt weak as she pushed herself up when she was on her feet the whole sifted again. This time she was inside Bhaal's temple, the one she had fought Sarevok in.

"Now **what**?" She whispered.

"So, you have come at last." Sitting on a throne was a man in armor with spikes protruding from it.

"Sarevok?"

"Close, but no." The voice was slightly deeper than Sarevok's, in fact the armor was different too, somehow it was more... _ugly_.

"_Bhaal_."

"Ah, it is so refreshing to have at least one bright child. You have no idea how many children are quite ignorant, must have something to do with their mothers." He walked towards her, moving as if the armor weight nothing.

"I take it this whole event has been your creation? What was the point of all this?"

"You suffer needlessly, my poor daughter. All the pain you suffer can end if you only accept yourself and me."

"I won't, you would lie and twist everything to have your own way."

"And yet you have listened to me in the past. You are my child, no matter what you tell yourself and as such you need my guidance." Bhaal said in almost a caring tone.

"The only thing I need for you to do is to fuc-" She didn't get to finish her sentence as his hand connected with her face. She didn't have the strength to get up from the floor and just stared up at him.

"There will come a day, daughter that you will need me. One day that **weakling **Lathander will turn his back on you and the powers gifted from your mother will fail you. There will only be I left. You will **learn**." Bhaal's voice grated her nerves as she stared up at him. Why did he have to sound like he cared? Why couldn't he rage at her?! It would make things so much simpler for her.

"Don't listen to him." Anni turned her head to see the speaker. Sarevok stood a few feet away. He was covered with blood and sweat, the armor he wore was ill fitted on him and his head was covered with stubble. "He will abandon you when you believe to need him, strip away all your intelligence until you only thoughts are his and you are nothing but a mindless drone, slave to his ambition."

"The ambition was your own, Sarevok. I merely fed your hunger for power. The rest of the blame lies on you." Bhaal's voice gave the impression that he was smirking inside the armor.

"That I know, and I pay for it in even now in the Abyss. I will not allow you to sentence my sister there. As you live inside of her so do I. You made a mistake by creating both of us from the same woman. We are connected, apart of me will always travel with her and her with me." When Sarevok offered her his hand, she took it allowing him to bring her to her feet. "As long as I am here, you will not have her." Bhaal let out a growl before the shadows took him from her sight.

"Sarrey I -"

"It's ok Anna. I'll keep him away as long as it takes. Find a way to free us, little one. I know you can do it." He kissed her forehead. "Now wake up. Your wizard is getting worried."

---

Anni shot up in bed once she was freed from the dream, only to have her head collid with Edwin's, who had been leaning over her. As soon as the shock of hitting his head wore off she threw her arms around him and started to cry again. Edwin held her in his arms, murmuring soft words of comfort to her in his own language as he stroked her hair. Though Anni couldn't understand the all words he spoke, she was learning, among them she knew he called her his heart. After a while she finally calmed down and was able to raise her eyes to look at Edwin.

"Was it is Irenicus again?" He asked softly. She shook her head and told him in hushed tones about the dream, never raising her voice above a whisper as if she was afraid to speak louder would cause it to happen again. Afterwards he held her in his arms, kissing her tears away.

"Edwin, would you still love me if I lost all my magic?" Anni hit him with a pillow when he had the _nerve_ to actually think about it. He caught her wrists before she could hit him again and pressed a kiss against her lips until she yielded to him.

"Whether or not you have power is of little consequence to me, I have enough power for the both of us. (Yes and soon even more with the help of my Nether Scroll)." She rewarded him with a smile before throwing her arms around him and kissing him. After a few minutes he pulled away and spoke. "Anni, you are wearing by far too many clothes. (This would be much simpler if she just listened to me)."

"Oh?" She smiled as she slowly, very slowly started to undo the laces on her night gown.

"You're taking too long." Was all the warning she got before he cast a spell, a spell that, much to her amusement and annoyance, sliced through her gown which fell off her in pieces.

"Edwin, that was my only night gown!" She tried to sound stern but failed at the look in his eyes. He laced his hands through her hair and pulled her against himself. She sighed his name as his lips trailed down her neck. He didn't get far before he heard a familiar and all too annoying noise. There was a dimension door opening across the room before the person could step out, Edwin pulled the blankets up to cover himself and Anni.

"The practice of magic without a license is forbidden in the city of Athkatla. You sh- Not you two **again**!" A very annoyed Cowled Wizard appeared through the dimension door. "This is the **twelfth** time in **two** days that you two have used magic, can't you people knock it off." Anni pressed her face against Edwin's neck as she blushed but mainly to keep from laughing. "That's it! I've had enough of you two. I'll give you a damned license so I don't have to come out here anymore. Names!" Edwin was also having trouble trying not to laugh but managed to give his name. "And you girl?"

"Anni."

"Last name?"

"Um... I don't have one." The Cowled Wizard sighed with disgust.

"Fine. I'll just write down Odesseiron as your last name."

"But we're not married or anything."

"The two of you do it enough to be." Were the wizard's last words before leaving. Anni and Edwin looked at each other before falling helpless to laughter.


	14. The Nether Scroll

Chapter 14: The Nether Scroll

Jaheira was tired of this. For two days now they hadn't done anything, she hadn't seen Anni at all and only had a few glimpses of Edwin. Though Jaheira loathed this inactivity she was not about to begrudge the girl this time. She knew that they had work to do but this time was necessary in her opinion, Anni had no attachments to anyone besides Imoen and ever since their escape from Irenicus, she wouldn't talk to Jaheira anymore.

In fact she had been noticing that the girl would move away from any women that came near her. Anni never met her eyes any more and didn't talk to her either. If she didn't know any better she would suspect the girl was scared of her.

"She couldn't possibly blame herself for what happened, could she?" She mused out loud. She could see this possibly happening, Anni had a habit of blaming everything on herself, trying to take everyone's pain away. Some days Jaheira had an urge to resurrect Gorion and slap him upside the head for not teaching either of those girls any sense.

"What can those two be doing all this time!" As soon as she said that, she realized she really didn't want to know. After all what would her and Khalid do if they were locked in a room for two days together... 

---

"Ahh HA! I understand it! (Hmm... ancient magic at my fingertips, and more yet to decipher. Though I do understand enough now to cast it.)" Edwin's cry of triumph woke Anni from her sleep. She lifted her head from the pillow to glare at him from across the room. He sat with his back to her, dressed in his newer robes, since his old ones were beyond repair.

Earlier that night he had moved the small writing desk over to the other side of the room, where she couldn't spy on his translations from the bed or where he couldn't see her, since she kept distracting him. Wrapping the sheet around herself, she walked over to him to stare at the Nether Scroll and him.

"So are you going to explain it to me?" She asked with a small smile, knowing without a doubt he wouldn't. Without sparing her a glance he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her down to sit on his lap. He continued to ignore her, except for the possessive arm holding her in place, and concentrated on his scroll.

"Another revelation in my... er... our Nether Scroll. A spell of transformation, both basic and sophisticated. It is not unlike the transformation of mage to lich... but it must be more... much more... I've prepared for this moment all my life, and lifetimes before! Be prepared to cower and flee! Nothing will stand in my way after this!" His eyes had take on that look, the one that meant he wasn't going to wait a second more to do something.

"Right." She rolled her eyes, he was too much when he was this excited. "And I'm supposing that you want to cast that right this minute, in the dead of the night?" 

"Yes now, I've waited far too long." Anni didn't mention the fact he had just finished translating it.

"Ok, let me get dressed and get my med kit, just in case." She went to get her clothes but he didn't remove him arm, keeping her trapped. "Um..Edwin, you have to let me go you know." He was staring off into space with that look that plainly stated he was plotting something. -_Probably world domination or something of the ilk.-_ She couldn't help smiling, he was adorable at times like this. -_ Just don't tell him or he'll throw a fit of how Red Wizards are not adorable or cute, they are fearsome. Note to self: Don't dissolve into giggles then next time he says that.- _

She waited for him to move his arm but he was once again caught up in the scroll again. She leaned her head against his shoulder and started to lay small kisses across his neck. Around the fifth kiss Edwin turned his head and stared at her.

"You are trying to distract me again. (I must not let on how good she is at it. No good would come of it. Most likely she would permanently keep me distracted if I let her.)"

"Is it working?"

"No. Your attempt is paltry at best. I will show you the proper way to distract someone. (Though if you ever distract someone other than myself, they will find themselves on the receiving end of a fireball)."

---

"Well, I must say, you are much better than I am at distracts, Edwin." She sighed with pleasure as his hands moved through her hair. She wouldn't have thought that Edwin would know how to braid hair, but he did and was currently fixing hers. She had finally gotten dressed, though not in her usual robes, at his insistence, she had put on the clothes that Simon had made for her.

The pants were a black leather type material that were so tight on her that she could feel the lightest brush of his fingers, the boots he had so lovingly laced, came half way up her thighs and to complete the outfit she wore her black fishnet shirt. To say that Edwin liked her clothing was a vast understatement.

"Of course, Edwin Odesseiron is a **master** at whatever venture he sets out for." He continued to fix her hair. "You are never cutting your hair." Anni smiled at that. Maybe from someone else it would have sounded like a question but from him it was an order.

"I remember the reason I turned to spell casting was just so I could keep my hair long, Gatewarden always told me I could never fight with hair as long as mine." She turned and laid a kiss on his lips as he finished. "Trust me, the day I lose my soul is the day I cut my hair." She hopped off the bed and picked up her med pack, she groaned when she cast a look over her shoulder and found that his gaze was glued to her posterior. She walked over to the door and right before she exited she smiled as she said, "Oh and by the way if you mess up this spell, I am so going to write to your Teacher Dekaras and tell him all about it."

Edwin chuckled as the door closed, knowing she wouldn't dare. He stopped laughing suddenly, she really wouldn't, would she? Just in case before he left he placed his letters from home in the inner pocket of his robes, there was no way she was getting her paws on the letters.

---

They walked hand in hand towards the city gates. It had been Anni's idea to cast the spell outside the city. Even though they had a licence to practice magic now, neither of them trusted the Cowled Wizards to keep their word and not arrest them.

The two of them had managed to get out of the inn without running into one of their companions, if he didn't know better he would think that she wasn't ready to be seen with him by them. Of course not many people would be capable to handle the idea of a wizard of his magnitude involved with, in his most humble (and not to mention correct) opinion, the smartest (second to his mind of course) and the most beautiful Bhaalspawn known on Toril.

Edwin stopped suddenly as he viewed the person who was coming through the city's gates._ -Dammit how did he find me here!?- _Edwin's eyes darted around looking for a quick escape but saw none that wouldn't draw the man's attention. Normally Edwin wouldn't have dreamed of avoiding Degardan, the pompous wizard was second on his list, right after Elminster, but with Anni in tow, he wouldn't take the risk something would happen to her.

"Ed-?" She started as he pushed her into the shadows and covered her lips with his own. Only the outline of his body could be seen, though he made sure that it was obvious that Anni was female. The last time Degardan had seen him, his tastes in... _companions_ had been very different. If her form hadn't been enough to convince a person that she was female, the small whimpers that she made would. He could feel Degardan's gaze pass over him and knew when the wizard as gone.

When he pulled away from Anni, his first thought was to follow Degardan and be rid of him this instance. _-No, first the Nether Scroll. Then, we will see who has the last laugh! It will most assuredly be I.- _He felt her hand in his and turned back to her.

"What's wrong, who was that?"

"Nothing worthy of your concern. (Bah, he is barely worthy of mine!)" She raised up and placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"Ok, I'll trust you on this.(Though you better be telling me the truth.)" Anni blinked. "Ack! It's wearing off on me!"

---

Anni bit her lip as she stared at the scroll Edwin was holding, for not the first time this night. The scroll made her head hurt when she stared at it longer than a minute or two. This worried her mainly because she couldn't check Edwin's translations. _- What if this scroll does something horrible, like turn him in a rabbit or a dragon...Wait a dragon wouldn't be that bad. I'd finally have a pet then.- _

"Are you sure about this? What if something goes wrong?" She felt him kiss the top of her head as he took the scroll away from her. 

"Everything will go exactly as I wish it to." She bit her lip at his words and started to walk away. "Where are you going?"

"Edwin I'll be way over here while you cast that." She took off and stopped a good distance away. She ran he swore he could hear her mutter, "**Better part of valor**!". She watched as Edwin stuck a dramatic pose and had to clamp her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing at him. She caught some of the words he spoke as the drifted towards her on the wind that was steadily increasing. She was blinded as light exploded from the scroll and she could hear him yell. When she could see again she rushed over to him. "What happened?! Are you alright?" 

"This is bad. This is very very bad." She frowned listening to him, his voice was different higher than usual. She placed her hand on Edwin's arm trying to get him to face her but he wouldn't move.

"Edwin, look at me, it can't be that bad." Her eyes widened as she gazed at him. Her brain stuck between the urge to laugh herself silly and fainting. Her brain finally blew a fuse and she fainted.


	15. Best Mates

Chapter 15: Best Mates

"Get arrested by the Cowlies, how hard can that be? Bloody miserably hard when you already have a stinking licence!" Yuri screamed with frustration. For the past hour he had been trying to get himself hauled off to Spellhold, a place he didn't want to be in, and was failing horribly at it.

_-Funny. Isn't it?- _Nanook asked him.

"No. I thought I told you to say behind Nanook."

_-You go. I go.-  
_  
---

_A few hours ago..._

"Come on Yu, we need someone to watch Irenicus over at Spellhold, and Aran doesn't feel like paying for two boat rides."

"No, I'm not doing it! Did you even see that guy? He blew up like six Cowlies and our friends!"

"If you recall, I was there several buildings away, trying to shoot the bastard. You have no idea how I felt watching every one of my arrows not hit. I'm the top assassin and I couldn't get one hit off. Oh the humility. Oh stop laughing at me." His friend added as Yuri started to laugh.

"Do you even hear yourself when you talk about how great you are? I swear you're worst than that mage guy, the one that worked for Mae'var. The one that wore the pink robes."

"Oh, him. You know, he's traveling with that group that Aran is having us watch."

"Man, I pity them. You know how he introduced himself to everyone? _'Greetings. I am Edwin Odesseiron. You simians may refer to me merely as "Sir," if you prefer a less... syllable intensive workout.'_"He mimicked Edwin's accent badly. "I swear Clara was about ready to kill the arrogant prig, we had to keep her from ripping that bloody chain right off his face. Man that would have been a nice sight though."

-_Or me eating him.- _Nanook added.

"That too." Yuri smiled.

"Back to you going to Spellhold, come on that girl with the pink hair is there." His friend nudged him with his elbow. "Come on, I've seen your sketchbook, you only seen the girl for a few seconds and right away she has over twenty pages in it." Yuri rubbed the back of his neck as his face turned bright red.

"You saw her. She was so_ beautiful_, she full of life. I just wanted to run up when the Cowlies showed up and claim she traveled with me just so she wouldn't get taken away."

"Why didn't you?"  
"Probably because I needed fresh robes after seeing that mage in action." He shuddered.

_-Yes, you smelled of fear. That and you climbed on my back and had me run away.-_

"Come Yu, Aran isn't the only one that wants you to do this, so do I."

"Not another command from your **crazy **god."

"Yep."

"You know, I'm getting sick and tired of gods interfering in the lives of us mortals."

"Hey if they didn't interfere where would the fun be?"

"I'll get you back for this you know." His friend just laughed.

---

"I don't even know her name and yet I'm going to do this. Gods above I'm such a_ loser_." Yuri muttered as he walked through the government district. He figured it would be the best place to attract the attention of the Cowlies. So far he had set off several different spells, mostly cantrips nothing that would hurt anyone, but he did it in plain view of the world.

The Cowlies ignored him since a few years ago he had paid for a licence, which he had to do, since being a wild mage wasn't easy to say the least. It seemed a day didn't go by without a wild surge happening some way and completely messing things up.

He had finally decided that maybe if he graffitied the house of Isaea Roenall might do the trick, after all it was known that Isaea was a bit of a hot head. He pulled back his sleeves and started the simple spell and could only curse as he felt that all too familiar burst of energy at the end.

"Oops... that wasn't supposed to happen..." He rubbed the back of his neck staring at what had been Roenall's house, which was now little more than rumble. He started to laugh as the Cowlies started to show up.

---

"The mage is Yuri Imlach, sir."

"What should be done with him, sir?"

"I want this little bastard in jail for the rest of his miserable life!" Isaea screamed. "Not where ever you send those blasted mages! In **jail**! Where I can see he's being **punished**!!"

"_Sir _Roenall, you are only here as a courtesy, if you cannot control yourself, you will be asked to leave."

"How dare you talk to me in such a way. I am **nobility**!"

"Sir Roenall, the Cowlie..Cowled Wizards are separate from the council for a reason and as such you will not be treated any differently than we would treat a commoner." Roenall bristle and stormed out.

"Could we get back to me? I'm getting kinda bored. And you know that this sphere is making my skin itch, blue just doesn't go with my robes you know."

"Sir, we could turn him over to his uncle, that would be punishment enough." One of the Cowlies suggested. Yuri's eye started to twitch at the thought of spending anytime with his uncle, he turned to tell the wizard so but stopped when he looked at them. The wizard in question was standing in the shadows, only glimpses of dark skin and ivory hair was visible to the observant eye. _-Ly, that wasn't even near funny.- _Yuri thought as he glared at his disguised friend. Nanook growled at that.

"I wouldn't resign even my mother-in-law to live with that **man**." The head Cowlie stated. "No he would be far better off at Spellhold."

"**Woohoo!**" Yuri cheered, throwing his up and doing a little dance, which caused some of the wizards to smother their laughter.

"Quiet you." The head wizard's lips twitched. "Yuri Imlach, you are hereby sentenced to Spellhold until at such time you are deemed fit to reenter society." He shot one last glance at his friend who only mouthed "_good luck_" to him before the Cowlies teleported him away.

"What should be done with his familiar?"

"I will take it with the others and see that it is freed."

-_Touch me and die.- _Nanook growled.

---

"Proceed to the recreation area. Enjoy your time out; you go back under key when night comes. Oh and there's cookies too." Lonk the Sane told him as the door to his cell was opened.

"Oooh! **Cookies**!" Yuri walked down the halls taking care to avoid Tiax, if he heard one more comment from that gnome he would end up killing him. _-He's as bad as that Red Wizard. Wait no, the wizard is more annoying.-_ He wondered what happened to Nanook. He couldn't feel him anymore but he knew his friend would take care of him. He wandered through the halls, trying not to appear as if he was searching for someone in particular, and had anyone not crazy been watching him, they would have told him, he was failing spectacularly. He stopped when he finally saw the pink one, who was playing checkers with Dili, a little girl who could shape shift.

He took a deep breath and walked over to her. "Hiya, I'm new here, the name's Yuri."

"Heya, I'm Imoen, though almost everyone calls me Immy." She smiled at him before returning to her game. He just stood there like an idiot, just watching her and just like an idiot he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"So, come here often?" Immy's reply was to start laughing. Hard. "Gods, I think I'll just walk away and hang my head in shame for that one." She only laughed harder along with several other of the inmates as he practicality ran away.

---

"Well, I can safely say you're the first one ever to hit on me especially in this place." Yuri blushed to the roots of his hair as he looked at Imoen..

"I didn't mean to do that. I couldn't think of anything else to get your attention. Wait I'm the first guy to hit on you? Ever?" Imoen's cheeks pinkened slightly.

"Yep. Most guys never dared to even try it with my friends around. Well, except for this elf Coran, but he quickly quit it after Anni threaten to make him a half-elf." She then launched into a tale involving a Rashemi berserker, a cowardly half-elf, a harpy-like druid and her best friend. By time she finished, both of them were in tears. "I think that's the first time in months I've laughed." She sighed, turning somber again. "I really hope Anni is going to rescue me, I really don't want to be here forever, especially with _him_ here."

"I know what you mean, the very thought of Irenicus close by makes my skin crawl."

"Yeah... Wait a minute! How'd you know who I was talking about? And how did you know his name!? I'm the only one here who knows about him!" Imoen stalked closer to him as he backed away.

"Aaah...Look it's **Drizzt**!" He pointed to a place behind her before trying to run away. He didn't get very far as Imoen jumped on his back, causing him to crash into the wall and slumped to the floor unconscious.

---

"Ow, did you have to hit me so hard?" Yuri asked sometime later.

"I thought you were working for him!"

"It's ok, I probably would have done worse. So you understand everything?"

"Let's see, you Shadow Thief er.. wizard, sent here to watch Leatherface and just have to wait for your best friend to rescue you. Is that it?"

"Pretty much. I still can't believe Ly would even jest about me living with my Uncle Cor. That guy is the ultimate bastard. Though I know that Ly will show up and rescue us, if your Anni doesn't get her first."

"How you know?"

"Oh, let's just say I took steps to ensure it." He smiled wickedly at her.

---

Meanwhile in Athkatla...

"You know I'm almost feeling bad about asking Yuri to go to Spellhold, especially with this nice ring he gave me for good luck. Nanook is going to bite my head off when he finds me. But by then the greatest assassin, me, will have recovered him." Ly said slipping the ring on. She walked over to the mirror in the room and gaped at the sight that greeted her. "**Yuri! I am going to kill you for this!!!"**


	16. The other Side of Ano

Chapter 16- The other Side of Ano.

Note: This happens between 13 and 15 if you couldn't tell.

"Go shine the inside of your helmet, if you do not die of the fumes, the sight of your reflection surely will kill you. (It's not as if we need three healers.)"

Edwin's taunt from the morning was still echoed in his head. Anomen had decided, (_against Lady Jaheira's wishes_) to try to talk to Lady Anni, as it had been two risings since the incident. At the time he had not wondered at the Red Wizard's disappearance, and never once did the idea that the wizards's absence had anything to do with the lady's had never been entertained. Had Anomen thought carefully about it he may have questioned it and been able to prepare himself for what was to come.

Anomen had knocked on the door to her room, fully excepting Lady Anni to answer, not Edwin, who from the looks of it, had just pulled his robes on barely covering his body.

"What is it?" Edwin snapped. Anomen's brow furrowed, confused for a moment.

"My apologies, I mistook this for Lady Anni's room." Edwin smiled snidely as he pushed the door open allowing Anomen to see inside. At first Anomen couldn't understand why Edwin was showing him this as it was only a woman laying in the bed, her head turned away from him. His confusion was short lived however as she sifted in her sleep, allowing him a glimpse of her face.

There laying with only a thin blanket covering her, was **Anni**.

" _'Lady'_ Anni is mine. She always was. It just took her some time to realize it. (I, of course knew the whole time. Yes of course.)" Edwin's smirk grew at the shock on Anomen's face.

Before he could form a coherent word, Edwin delivered his parting shot and slammed the door closed. At first Anomen could only stand there unable to comprehend what he had just seen or heard, until a feminine moan reached his ears. He blushed to the tips of his ears and quickly ran away.

---

So that was why Anomen had spent the day in the slums, using the gifts Helm had given to him at administer to those in need. His normal arrogance had been stripped away and self-doubt now resided in him. He had tried to act as a future knight of Helm should, he had tried to court Lady Anni as he had seen other knights court ladies. He could not see were he had went wrong with his courting. He even tried to romance her as he had read in those books his sister had given him, claiming every guy could win a woman if they acted like the men in those books.

Maybe he was just trying to hard to find someone, after all he had only truly felt companionship for Lady Anni. He truly had never felt anything so far beyond friendship for any woman thus far. Maybe there was something _wrong_ with him?

That thought plagued him as he walked towards the Crooked Crane, not intending to return to the same inn Edwin was at for the moment. He also knew his younger cousin and his friends had a habit of visiting. It would be good to talk to his cousin again, maybe even get some news of Moira, as Cor refused to allow Anomen to even look at his sister nowadays.

As he neared the Crooked Crane he noticed a man in red robes pressing a woman in black against a wall, there was only one man Anomen had ever seen with robes that red with what appeared to be gold thread. -_That cad can't even wait a day before moving on to his next conquest?!-_ Anomen felt rage and sorrow at the same time. Rage for the fact that Edwin would so quickly leave Lady Anni's side for another (_and what kind of woman wears clothes that tight?_), and sorrow that Edwin couldn't appreciate what he had. He sadly shook his head and entered the inn. He would deal with the wizard in the morning.

Inside the inn there was the usual mix of revelers, gamblers and couples having a good time. One particular girl dancing with a young man of darker skin of one from Calishite. Her face was flushed as she laughed with joy, her long hair unbridled, flowing around her as she swayed her hips.

"**Moira!** What are you doing here!" Anomen yelled as he watched his little sister dance. She turned from her partner and rolled her eyes at him. She whispered in her partner's ear and walked over to her brother.

"Ano! I didn't think I'd see you here." She smiled innocently at him, gifting him with a small kiss on his cheek. 

"How did you get out of the house? By Helm don't tell me the bastard kicked you out!"

"No, no! Calm down!" She shook her head vigorously. "I snuck out so Yusef and I could spent some time together."

"Yusef!? **Saerk's son**? Are you nuts, Moira? You know how Cor is at war with that man and his family. Can you trust this...this boy? How do you know that he's not just leading you on? You are still very young, I do not wish to see you hurt."

"Oh, Ano. I'm not a little kid anymore and Yuri made sure he was ok before he'd let him near me." She smiled sadly. "I know you always want to be there for me and I know you can't. I've learned to take care of myself." She gave him a hug.

"Moira... how can you be sure? Not every man's intention is pure. With our father's rivalry he could be using you to get back at Cor." Anomen opened his mouth to say more but was stopped by his sister boxing his ears.

"Anomen! I'm not a child anymore!" Unfortunately her foot stomping on his did little to convince him.

"Maybe I should speak for myself here. I can assure you, my intentions are pure as you put it. In fact I do believe Moira is late in telling you something." Yusef appeared behind her, wrapping his arms around her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Before Anomen could speak on his actions Moira quickly spoke.

"Yusef and I are getting married! I've been wanting to tell you, but I didn't want to listen to these really bad ideas you have of Saerk's family. Trust me it's only the fathers that are that bad."

"Yes, I can agree on that. My father has raised me to hate those who bear the Delryn name. I was shocked to find the woman I first laid eyes on and stole my heart was one of them, but I would not change her for the world." He held his hand out to Anomen. "I offer my hand in friendship and ask your blessing for our union as I wouldn't dare with Cor."

Anomen stared at the two of them. Moira gazed at the man with love in her eyes and he the same. He would never deny his sister anything that would give her happiness. With a sigh he took Yusef's offered hand and couldn't help smiling at Moira's cheerfulness. She talked excitedly at things he could barely keep track of at the speed she rambled on, he caught parts of a wedding, moving away from Amn and something about Yuri.  
"What was that about Yuri?"

"Oh, you didn't know. Poor Yuri he was sent away. Dad was laughing about it for hours, all I know is he was using his magic to get arrested and something about a pink haired girl. I think Yuri finally lost it. And no one knows where Ly disappeared to." Since Anomen had never met Ly he didn't give much thought to it as sometimes he wondered if Ly really did exist. He sat with his sister and future brother in law and they talked the night away.

By the end of the night Anomen was convinced things would work out for his little sister. Yuri was probably at the same place as Imoen and he would get his mischievous cousin out of his most current mess. Things were looking up.


	17. Edwin's really bad day

Chapter 17- Edwin's **really** bad day

"Edwin, I can't do anymore."

"Try again you useless simian!"

Anni sighed. For the past hour she had been trying to fix Edwin and the whole time she had received more verbal insults from him than in her entire life. "That's it, I've had enough."

"What?! You haven't fixed this yet." The tone of his voice implied this whole mess was her fault.

"I have tried Dispel Magic, Remove Curse, Heal, Restoration and even Great Restoration! If you didn't know those last two take a lot out of a person! I can barely stay on my feet, I'm so bloody tired now!" She yelled at him, at the end of her patience.

"Don't yell at me! (The ache behind my eyes is worsening!) I would not be in this mess if it wasn't for you!" 

"Don't you dare blame this on me, Edwin! How is it my fault you are too impatient to wait until you actually have the whole scroll translated," she screamed,"And tell me how the hell is it my fault you were turned into a woman?" At her last word, Edwin did something very un-Edwin like and for a few moments Anni felt bad for yelling as he burst into tears.

"You are a cruel and heartless woman! (Can this day get any worse?)" Edwin turned away and started to flee, unable to bare the humiliation any longer. _-My life is ruined! A renegade of Thay, an ex-Shadow Thief (Though what self respecting wizard would want to work for them?) On the run from Degardan of all people, and now this! I'll never be able to face Teacher Dekaras again.- _He was quickly working himself in hysterics as he...she ran back towards the city.

Edwin had no idea where she was heading just as long as it was away from Anni. He tried in vain to forget her reaction to his most unnatural transformation. She had fainted, which was acceptable, but the way she looked at him afterwards was not. He had wanted something from her,(Comfort? No, Edwin Odesseiron never needs comfort) but what he could not say.

Up until little over an hour ago, the two of them had been closer than he would have believe possible for two people to be. They had shared every intimate secret, things they would never admit to another person. They had talked over their childhoods, he better understood her and he had amused her with some of his childhood stories (edited versions of course.). In the past two days they had done things and said things that would even make the stoic Teacher Dekaras blush (Which the thought of him actually being able to blush was mind boggling.).

Her reaction to him had hurt. Her eyes once so filled with love and trust now watched him as if he was something that had crawled from under a rock and was preparing to attack her. When he had touched her to help her up, she had paled and flinched away from him. He had seen this same reaction of hers to other females who came close, even to Jaheira, though one would only see it if they were closely watching her. (Not that he watched her that closely.) He knew he was now cursed with this form for what would be a short time, (He would stop at nothing to achieve that goal) but couldn't she see past his form and know that it was him underneath? _-If I had been turned into a dragon she wouldn't let me out of her arms then!-_  
---

Anni had finally managed to catch up with Edwin. Not a word passed between them, for what could be said? Her reaction to him (her?) hadn't been well and as much as she would like, she couldn't change it. When she had awaken from fainting she saw a strange raven hair beauty leaning over her, and against her will her mind flashed back to another time and place, to where she had woke to another black haired woman leaning over her and the events that followed. Anni had managed not to cry, scream or run away as the memories haunted her but something must have shown on her face as he immediately launched into his usual insults. That was the one thing she believed would always be consistent with Edwin; he insulted people to hide his own emotions.

"Edwin, I-"

"Quiet monkey wench, I am in no mood to listen to your chattering."

"Okay, fine. Just out of curiosity how do you plan on explaining this to everyone?"

"I will not be fodder for their insignificant minds to make what will no doubt be crude and unimaginative jokes. (Not that anything they could possibly say could ever bother me. No, nothing disturbs me in the least.) I will simply find a way to restore myself to my former glory."

"You planning on hiding aren't you? The great Red Wizard of Thay is afraid of being teased?" She smiled as she watched the wizard sputter with indignation. Before either of them could speak, a man called out to the both of them.

"Hold up, wayfarers. I've a few queries for this lowly group of middling pilgrims." She saw Edwin stiffen out of the corner of her eye and recalled his earlier actions at the sight of this man. She reached out and took Edwin's hand, forcing herself to focus on the fact that even in female form his hands had not changed much.

"I'm sorry, we're kinda busy. Go bother someone else."

"I've traveled an arduous distance. A Red Wizard of Thay needn't explain himself. If my inquiries are ignored, I will interrogate you in a painful fashion."

"Oooh, I'm so scared." She swallowed the rest of her insult as her hand was tightly squeezed. "Fine ask what questions you wish, wizard."

"We are interested in the whereabouts of an Edwin Odesseiron, a long-winded bag of gas. Homeland magic indicate this area to be a likely place for the vulture to roost."

"This must be a dangerous individual to bring a Red Wizard all the way to the City of Coin, where magic is illegal." She pretended to be nervous.

"Nothing of the sort. Edwin is a self-serving nerveless worm. He's gone rogue. He tithes nothing and has vilified the masters of the order and sullied their good names. As it happens, his prowess as a spell caster consists of parlor tricks and balls under coconut shells. Did I mention the fantastic reward as well?" She felt Edwin's nails dig into her skin as the man insulted him and just barely managed not to cry out.

"Sorry, I don't hold up well with spell casters. I can barely stand them as it is the only ones I deal with is my lover here. Every so often we play the Wychalarn and Red Wizard."

"Ahh.. well there is a king's ransom for the kind soul who would be so obliging as to turn the impotent imposter over to the proper judicial authority. Also the robes should be a little more red if you want authenticity to your 'game'." The man said as he walked away.

She watched the retreating wizard and resisted the urge to fire ball him. No one insulted Edwin, well except her and Jaheira and Minsc and Anomen and Haer'Dalis. "Let's just get back to the inn."

---

Anni sat on the bed as she unlaced her boots and finally decided to question Edwin. "What happened Edwin, after you left the Gate? What would keep you from your beloved Thay and cause them to name you a rogue?

"It is none of your concern. (I do not need her attempting to fix my little disagreement with home.)"

She often wondered if he realized that people could hear his muttering but never bothered to tell him as it was the best way to find out what he was planning. She yanked off her boots before stalking over and glaring down at him. _-Wait a minute...I'm...looking...down??-_

"What? What are you staring at wench?"

"Hehe...I'm taller than you." She smiled at his expression.

"I am merely struggling under the weight of this body. (Who would have thought these things could be so heavy and awkward?)"

"Hmm... They are sorta big, I don't understand why your body changed so much. It's very different from the effect of a girdle of change gender."

"Of course they're big, they are merely the female equivalent of my true form." Anni crossed her arms across her chest ignoring a twinge of jealously as she looked over the feminized Edwin.

"No, they're the wrong size for that." She continued on before he could ask if she meant too big or small. "Now tell what is going on!"

"Fine! Fine just stop pestering me!"

"Edwin..." She growled.

"Homeland received information of two Bhaalspawn lining in the Sword Coast area. Rasheman had sent the Wychalarn Dynaheir to coerce Sarevok into aligning himself to them."

"Which I spoiled by killing him. So let me guess you were supposed to recruit him too?"

"I was sent to find the witch, kill her and find the other Child of Bhaal as Thay believe Sarevok was too unstable for our uses. They wanted the other one who was far more naive and appeared more easily manipulated."

"Me? You were sent to recruit me?" She blinked in surprise. "How many people knew what I was? What was I the **only** one who didn't know?"

"It appears that way."

"So, that's why you talked so much about Thay to me." **-That's why he seduced you my child.-** Bhaal's voice whispered to her. She only shook her head, trying not to listen.  
"Quite. If I was unable to recruit you, I was to... eliminate the chance you would side with Rasheman."

"You were supposed to kill me? Oh, well how nice." -**Think of it my daughter, how easily you fell in "love" with him. He would stop at nothing to complete his mission.-**

"I lied to my contact, Degardan, told him that you were dead. I knew it would only be a matter of time before they would realize the truth and come after me."

**-He lies my child. Or should I say she lies?- **Bhaal taunted.

_-No, Edwin wouldn't lie to me about something like this.-_

**-Why wouldn't he...she?-** Bhaal sighed. -**I'm getting myself confused with this gender thing.- **She smiled mentally at that. **-You know how he talks of his Teacher, why would he give up the chance of being home with him for you?-**

_-Because he loves me.-_

**-Does he? I have been here the whole time, my child. Not once has he said anything of the sort.-**

_-But he did! It was after I told him that I loved him.-_

**-No, he has never said the words, you merely asked him and he agreed. If he truly cared why does he not confess it to you endlessly? Why has he not mentioned you in his letters home?-**

_-I...I don't know.-_

**-Exactly. If he cared for you the way you care, would he not tell the world? Look at him, do you think it's an accident that his "contact" shows up a few days after bedding you? And do you think it's an accident that he turned himself into a woman?-**

_-There's no way that he would purposely do that.-_

**-Think of it, he knows your deepest fears. What is the one thing you are truly scared of? Bodhi... I must say put him in some of that clothing of hers, it would be a close fit. He uses your fears against you.-** She thought about it and realized that her father was making sense. Why would Edwin give up everything for her?

"So, you gave up Thay and your family for me?" She was silent for a moment. "I don't believe you." She stated flatly. "You showed no interest at all in me before, it was only after I found you here that you seemed to be interested by me. Hell you were more interested in Viconia than me, and you should have realized I liked you when I kicked her the hell out for sleeping with you."

"I know my limits, I would have never gotten close enough to kill you. (Not that I wanted to at any rate.) Not with that overprotective brainless Rasheman around."

"So now you decide to seduce me to your bed? Why else would you suddenly have an interest in me?" **-Yes, see the truth for what it is, little one.-** "I'm your ticket back to Thay."

"No! It-"  
"No, I don't want to hear anymore. Go to sleep Edwin, I'll deal with you in the morning." She said as she walked to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm finding some place else to sleep with someone who won't stab me in the back."


	18. Evil Deeds?

Chapter 18: Evil Deeds?

Warnings: Adult actions and Character death.

----

Anni felt torn in half as she walked barefoot through Athkatla. Part of her yearned to run back to Edwin and comfort him and apologize, the other part also yearned to return to Edwin except it wanted to destroy him, to silence him forever among other things. She was confused by what had happened, maybe if her father would shut the hell up she could figure things out but Bhaal didn't want to give her the chance. She knew that she was getting some curious glance at her disheveled appearance but she didn't care.

**-You did the right thing my daughter. Now you just need to go back and kill him. No one messes with my children.-**

"Except you, right?"

**-Of course, that is my right as a loving father.-**

"And if I believe that there's a bridge in Thay you can sell me too."

**-Ah my child, I will always marvel at your ability to believe perfect strangers and not to trust the man who created you. After all if it wasn't for me, you would not exist.-**

"Yes, I am so honored that I live. Would you leave me alone!" She screamed.

**-No. Now on to other business. It has been far too long since you spilled blood for my liking.-**

"I refuse to kill anyone just to please you Bhaal."

**-Ah, we are back to you calling me Bhaal again?- **He sighed.** -And here I thought I was making progress with you, Annalesca.-**

"Ack! Stop calling me that! My name is Anni!" She hissed. "Leave me alone, I need to think."

**-I don't see why. I have told you everything you already know to be true. The wizard would never be loyal to anyone but himself. Even when I was mortal, long ago, Thay could never get itself together. If they would only stop fighting amongst themself they could take over Toril. The same with the Drow, if they didn't send so much time plotting and trying to serve that bitch, Lolth, they would be able to take over the surface quickly. Which reminds me I do have several drow children, I do hope Lolth didn't have them killed.-**

"I'm starting to believe that your worshippers used to kill people just to shut you up!" She screeched as she covered her ears knowing that it was useless since she heard him inside of her head. She tried to ignore him as she entered the government district but it was hard to ignore the dead god. She wandered through the district until a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Look ye all upon this foul drow that we have bound before ye! A creature of evil and darkness, my brethren! A creature of foulness and deceit, bent only on our destruction! This creature has foolishly come amongst us, my brethren, thinking that we would be lax in our senses! Tell me what should be done with it!" In response there were several cries of "Burn it!". Anni drew closer through the crowd trying to see what was going on. Tied to a stake in the ground was a drow female, one that Anni had known long ago.

**-I remember her my daughter. Do you? Here let me refresh your memory.-** She could hear the smile in Bhaal's voice as he pushed the past into the forefront of her mind.

----

_Beregost...  
Burning Wizard Inn..._

"It'll be okay, Immy." Anni tried in vain to comfort her friend.

"I know. I shouldn't have ever looked at her."

"Come on don't be so hard on yourself. Viconia is a door knob, everyone gets a turn."

"I know, I just thought that I could make her care like I do." Anni slapped away Imoen's hand that reached for her liquor filled mug.

"I am not allowing you to get drunk."

"Oh, that's great coming from some who has spent the last month completely drunk."

"I'm allowed, I'm the older one here." Imoen stuck her tongue out at her. Anni smiled kindly at her best friend. "Come on let's get some more chocolate. You always feel better after some, you know?" She smiled as she called the waitress over.

"Speaking of liking people what about you and that Edwin?" Immy laughed at Anni's blush.

"I like him, I'll admit that much."

"But he called you a monkey, and that's after you saved him!"

"Oh come on, it's not like he'll always be calling people monkeys."

"Yeah, he's probably having a bad day, but I still can't believe we had to come all the way back to Bergost to find an inn."

"Well, the inn keeper in Nashkel did turn an interesting shade of purple while Eddie was talking to him." They laughed, their spirits lighted at the days earlier events. It was some time later that the two girls made their way up to the room they were sharing with Viconia. They had been forced to rent two rooms instead of one as neither girl felt comfortable sharing the room with Edwin. Though that didn't stop Imoen from suggesting Anni share it with him. Imoen was many things, a rogue, a mischief maker, a fellow conspirer and a best friend. Now she was trying her hand at something else, something even more horrible.

**Match maker.**

Not that Anni needed much pushing in Edwin's direction as there was something about the wizard that made her want to be with him. The good mood that Anni had worked so hard to create evaporated at the sight that greeted the two girls inside their room. Fortunately Imoen's human eyes could only make out vague shapes in the dark and unfortunately Anni's elven heritage gifted her with infravision, thus giving her an extremely detailed view of the scene. Though if the two of them were blind the sounds coming from the room would have been enough to tell them what was going on.

Viconia was busy entertaining a young Flaming Fist officer they had met earlier. Anni highly doubted that the Drow remember the man's name, though Anni recalled it was Xavier. She watched unable to turn away as Viconia's nails raked down his chest, drawing blood. Anni shuddered with the memory of the few nights she had spent with the drow. She enjoyed pain at the right moments as much as the next person, but Viconia was a sadist, enjoying pain giving anytime, all the time.

Her infravision caused the man to glow bright orange to her while Viconia's coloring was only slightly brighter than usual. She could tell by the colors how excited the two of them were and Anni would have given a lot not to have infravision at the moment. She did not need to know how aroused anyone was. Though she wanted to turn away it seemed she was frozen in place with shock unable to look away. She was only vaguely aware that Imoen had run away with a sob as she continued to be stuck in place. The shock that she was experiencing deepen as another male came into view, she could only see him from the back but could see he was slightly on the scrawny side but still appealing to her eyes.

"Oh my!" Anni gasped as she got an eyeful as the new man turned to join the two people on the bed. Viconia laughed as she saw Anni standing in the doorway.

"Come abbil, and join me. I am certain one of these jalukul can please you." Viconia managed to gasp out between moans.

"N-no. T-that's quite a-alright." Anni stammered as she rushed away. The drow laughed as Anni rushed down the hall only to be cut off as the jaluk behind her did something very interesting with a thrust of his hips.

---

"Enough Bhaal, I don't need to see more." Anni whispered as she forced her mind to the present.

-**Oh? I really enjoyed this part. You remind me of your mother when you're angry.- **He taunted as he pushed the next part forward.

---

The next morning...

After spending the night comforting a crying Imoen, Anni had decided it was time for Viconia to go her separate way. She untangled herself from her sleeping friend and made her way back to the room from last night. She knocked briefly and steeled herself for whatever she may find inside the room. After last night she thought that nothing the drow did could shock her but apparently Anni was doomed to be wrong.

The first thing that caught her eyes was Xavier laying on the bed completely naked, his eyes staring right through her. It took her a moment before she realized she was staring into the eyes of a corpse. Whispering a prayer to Lathander, begging that she was wrong again, she rushed over to check the man. His skin was cold and livor mortis had already set in. She knew from her lessons that once livor mortis had set in to the degree it had on the man, it was too last to resurrect him. She closed his eyes with her hand, smiling wryly at the fact he had died with a smile on his face.  
"Damn you Viconia why did you have to kill him..." Anni whispered to herself.

"Ah, inlul uss, you are too late to enjoy that one." Anni turned to find the drow standing behind her, she struggled to keep her eyes on Viconia's as the drow was completely naked.

"What about the other one? Did you kill him too?"

"No, your phish faern is quite fine." She said with a dismissive gesture.

"My what?"

"Lu'oh xun dos kivvilen telanth ol?" She muttered to herself. "Your Red Wizard."

"My Red...you _slept_ with **Edwin**!" Anni took a deep breath, not wanting to get into that subject with Viconia of all people.

"I forget how sensitive you surfacers are with these things."

"You killed a man! You can't just do things like that. It's wrong!"

"Please, I have killed three of my husbands for sport, this one was nothing compared to them."

"You killed your...By Lathander, you are sick Viconia. You do **not** kill people for fun! Get out. I swear, if I ever see you again I will kill you." The drow laughed at her and something snapped inside of her. She pulled back her hand and hit Viconia in the face with her fist. She didn't stop there and kept hitting the drow over and over again until she realized what she was doing. She ran out of the room without a glance behind her.

---

Present day...

**-Ah...that was the first time you ever used my power. I was so proud of you.-**

"She had no right to kill people for fun."

**-No she didn't. How many people do you think have died since you left her in that inn?-**

"I don't know."

**-I would wager quite a few. Wouldn't it be better to eliminate the threat to the people? Think of how many people would live if she died.- **Her father was right she realized. Wouldn't it be for the greater good to let Viconia die? Yes it made sense. -**Think of the fact she touched what is yours.-**

"Shar! My deliverance is in your hands! ...wait...I recognize you! Anni! It is I! Viconia DeVir! You must remember! My life depends on it! Please, Anni, I beg of you! Save me from these madmen!!" Viconia yelled when she spotted her. Anni smiled friendly at the drow and walked up to the man holding a torch. She grabbed it out of his hands and was smiling as she dropped it into the wood piled at Viconia's feet. The crowd's cheer didn't reach her ears as she kept smiling at Viconia who screamed as the flames licked their way over her body. She kept smiling as the drow's face eventually melted off and her skin matched her black heart. It was only after she could no longer see the drow that Anni turned away, whistling a tune to herself as she practically skipped away.

She was passing back to the slum when an arm came around her throat holding a knife against her skin.

"Well, that was an expected display from a child of Bhaal."

"What do you want from me?" Anyone who knew what she was wanted something.

"Let's move somewhere more private my dear, then we'll get dear Edwin to join us." Degardan smiled at the look on her face as he led her away.


	19. That's not suppose to happen!

Chapter 19- That's not suppose to happen!

Her eyes were always the color of obsidian, when she smiled it was as if there was light behind them, warmth for any who would accept it. This time it was different her eyes were cold and the darkness absorbed the light taking everything good away. Her smile cruel and head tilted slightly to the side as she had spoke those cutting words. When had he seen her eyes like that before, the slight tilt of the head as if she was listening to something?

_-Bhaal- _

It was the only thing he could think of that would explain her sudden coldness to him. He realized her father could manifest stronger inside of her when she experienced negative emotions. Fear, anger, hate or even sorrow would allow Bhaal stronger control over her thoughts. That had to be it. He knew she had to feel for him, after all he was Edwin Odesseiron, the greatest lover in all of Thay. Though currently stuck in the wrong form, (Which wasn't his fault.) he was still more than just his erotic skills. Edwin Odesseiron never lost at anything he dared to do, and he certainly wasn't going to let some dead god win. He would need a few things before setting out after Anni, first, then he would deal with her.

---

Edwin had seen everything, he had managed to cast invisibly on himself, (Though if asked he was not going to admit he had used Mass Invisibility and therefore there were several people walking around not realizing they too were now unseen.) and followed Anni at a distance. He felt no sympathy for the burning drow, he saw no reason for any. Unfortunately, he was too fascinated with the display to stop Degardan from capturing Anni. (He had been considering if the extra crispy drow would yield any useful spell components.) He cursed in Thayvain and picked up the hem of his robes and ran.

---

The main problem with traveling across the rooftops of the slums was the precarious footing, as not everyone could afford a solid roof. Sadly she had stepped through more than one roof this night, after which she would always drop down a couple of gold coins that would cover the costs of repair. She didn't mind the danger of it all, the chances that one foul step could send her spiraling to her death, in fact she enjoyed it.

She loved the thrill, the danger and it kept her in practice too. An assassin out of practice was worthless and could led to her death, which would be very bad, after all she was one of the greatest assassin in all of Toril (at least in her own opinion).

She was laying across one of the stronger roofs the only one she could find that gave her a shot of Degardan's back. She would have preferred something that would allow a glimpse of his eyes, as she liked to see her target's faces when they realized they were dying.

Sometimes when she stared into the eyes of the doomed, she could see their gods. She would always see their gods claiming their souls for their own, then the eyes would fade and you would know they were gone for good.

She had wanted to get rid of the wizard as soon as he had captured the bhaalspawn girl. It wouldn't have been good if a poisoned bolt had hit the girl, as her god had specially stated she was to live as he was sure she would become an ally of his, should she ascend in her father's place. Gods were known to plan far, far ahead.  
She had been watching the girl and didn't think she would survive long enough to ascend and the god she obeyed would be better off picking another to place his trust in. She pushed her thoughts aside, it was not her place to question any god, especially not her own.

She gripped her crossbow as she stared down at her target, once again thanking the gods her drow blood allowed her to see farther than humans. She concentrated as she aimed for the area were the neck met the back, if the bolt didn't kill him, the poison would. Degardan was casting a spell as she aimed up the view, she started to squeeze the trigger but took her finger away as the door opened an inch more.

There was no wind, no one had touched the door, so how did it open? She reached into her pocket and drew out a pair of goggles her best friend had made one time. Truth be told, she suspected that Yuri had no clue how he made them as he had only done one pair. She placed them over her eyes, at first the world was a whorl of colors as all she could see was the Weave, after a few turn of nobs on the goggles, the Weave was toned down allowing her to see the world. Her eyes slid over Degardan, a large portion of the Weave was gathering over him.

_-Must be a very heavy spell.-_ She thought. She continued to look for what had disturbed the door and found it. A simple spell of invisibility was covering a dark haired female, who would have been killed had she fired the bolt. The woman wore dark red robes, similar to Degardan's but were torn in the chest and hip area. At the moment the woman was spying into the room, watching everything.

"That stupid crack monkey! That bloody wizard is blocking my shot. Not even I, Ly, the greatest ass- **Ack!"** Ly yelped as the roof gave way and she crashed into the house below.

---

Edwin slowly pulled the door open, just a crack more, though not enough to draw attention. He stood there feeling useless as Degardan completed his spell over Anni. He could only watch as a ghostly mist pulled itself out of Anni's body and into a round clear crystal.

"Hmm... interesting. Two people inside of this little girl's body." Degardan mused as he stared into the crystal. He was right, even from were Edwin stood, he could see the child form of Anni and the larger and older form of Sarevok.

_-She wasn't kidding when she said her brother lived inside her.-_ Edwin thought as he ease forward, the rope in his hands gripped tightly. It had been the only thing he was carrying on him that would make due as a weapon. He wouldn't be able to use spells either unless he wanted to do several kinky things with Degardan, which wasn't in the least appealing.

"Hm, most interesting. I take it's a variant form of Trap the Mind. Very interesting. And I trust my dear daughter is inside that crystal?" Both wizards froze in their actions and stared at Anni's body. The voice that had come out of it was male and the eyes glowed golden. A grim smile on her face, her head propped up on her hand as she stared at Degardan.

"I'm assuming that you did not know this would happen. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Bhaal, the former and future God of Murder."


	20. Behind the God

Chapter 20: Behind the God

As a god (which technically I was. Dead, but a god none the less), I had experienced much, but of the many forms I have taken, this was by far the most disturbing. With my daughter's complete essence, both divine and mortal, removed it left her empty, nothing more than a vessel waiting to be filled. If such a vessel had, oh I don't know, a shadow of a god that rarely left, then the shadow would be forced to occupy said vessel. Therefore I was pulled from the bleak realm from which I watched, waited and meddled with the lives of my children and forced into the empty body of my daughter Annalesca.

The shock on the face of the wizard was quite amusing as I introduced myself. I was rarely given the chance now a days to scare the wee mortals but it was a small consolation to watch my children work fear into the endless masses. I could only smile, waiting for him to form a intelligible word, he seemed to be choking on air and was turning the most interesting shade of red. 

Ignoring the wizard I stood and walked the room, trying to adjust to my new form and taking inventory of what powers were still left from Annalesca's departed essence. It was odd walking in her body, she was of limited stature and though in life I had not been tall I was never this small. It was almost like being cut off at the knees and relearning to walk. Very confusing indeed. I smiled as I found her power, the power that could never be stolen, only reclaimed by myself.

The power that made my children's bodies live. The powers had to be tied to their mortal flesh as I could only imagine some insane mage trying to steal their abilities by taking their divine essence. I was starting to believe that my little half elf daughter was a secret worshiper of Loviatar, as she had formed her powers into the healing arts but only to heal others and hurt herself. She punished herself with each use of her power, maybe it was to justify her being one of mine. I don't know. I'm not a mind-reader, just a father.

I had been trying lately to cure her of this form of this...whatever you wanted to call it. I came to her in her dreams, as myself, I could honestly say that Alianna's appearance in the dreams was through no fault of my own, neither was Gorion's. My daughter had a fetish for punishing herself for sins that was only seen by her. Why did my children have to be confusing? The sad part was Annalesca was one of the less complicated ones, which was saying something.

I found the power that I was looking for, the important one, at least to me, the avatar of my former life, the Slayer. Ah, how I missed the days of roaming Faerun in this form, slaughtering all who crossed my path. I missed the death, the way blood would saturate the air until you could drown in it with a breath, the salty and bitter tears my victims had cried, the crush of bones beneath my feet. I used to collect the tears, I could only wonder what had happened to them, they probably disappeared along with my realm.

I considered changing into the Slayer but dismissed the idea, my daughter's clothing would never survive the transformation and she already had far too many men staring at her, she was just a child after all. If I was forced to stay in her body I would have no choice. I was not going to run around in her body for the rest of my time.

"So tell me, Red Wizard, what were you planning for my dear child?" I asked as I flopped down sideways in the chair.

"I was merely testing a theory for my good masters of Thay." The wizard smoothed the front of his robes in an obvious nervous gesture as he pocketed the crystal containing Annalesca and Sarevok. Wizard he might be, but he needed work on his sleight of hand.  
"Good masters? How ever do you manage to say that with a straight face? The only government that is worse than Thay are the Drow, but of course that is a matter of how you look at it. Thayvians don't spend all their energy on planning their machinations to some bitch but to their own ambition." It was greatly amusing to watch the wizard turn red again as I laughed. I was laughing so hard I almost fell out of my seat. Wiping a tear away and still chuckling I asked the wizard, "Now, seriously, what were you planning?"

"To replace the Bhaalspawn's essence with another's." For a wizard of Thay he was being extremely tight lipped.

"Don't be coy with me wizard, you may tell me now or while I teach you a new meaning to 'spilling your guts' your choice. Though I am so hoping you pick the latter." He had the audacity to reach for his spell components, like I said, he needed work on his sleight of hand. The wizard let out a cry as I slammed him against the wall, my hand pressing against his windpipe. As I held him there I swear I could hear a faint whispering, it sounded like someone was saying, "Yes! Kill the fool! (Not that I couldn't.)" I squeezed my hand until I could feel the vocal cords of the wizard pressing into my hand, it would be so easy just to break them. I resisted only because I was curious. "I knew Thayvians were not religious but I didn't know they were stupid! I am (was) a god! Do you think that I wouldn't notice what you were doing?! Now tell me everything!" I punctuated my point by banging his head against the wall.

"I was going to use the girl- no! no like that!" He yelped when I added pressure. "I want her to kill Edwin!" The very thought of that wizard made my skin crawl and truthfully want to empty my stomach. I couldn't stand anything about Edwin, especially how he touched my daughter.

"I see. I am curious as to why you would not kill him yourself. I am assuming that you are capable beyond mistakes as these."

"He left me for this-this woman! I loved him!" Eew! He was one of those! I will be the first to admit I had little fondness for men laying with other men, now show me two ladies... I pulled my hand away from the wizard as if he had burnt me and tried to keep disgust off my face. It was beneath a god to concern himself with such mortal... oh who was I kidding! Ew! I barely resisted the urge to wipe my hands. Have I said ew yet? Because ew, just ew. I shuddered as I turned away from the wizard. I had no fear of him casting a spell now as I had taken his spell components away and it seemed with his confession (gag) the man had dissolved into tears. Men do not cry. Alright, I admit I had cried once or twice in my mortal life but that it... OK, maybe more when I was a little boy. I sighed and waited for the wizard to collect himself.

---

One thing I will give mortals, they were nosey. So nosy in fact it often went past the realm of sanity and into stupidity. I recalled once, there was a man, called himself a mind healer, ask all these weird questions and at the end declared I wanted to do something unmentionable with my own mother... 

I killed him. Very slowly I might add. Poor Fred never screamed so loud. Fred? Maybe it was Floyd? Who cares? The wizard, who was apparently called Degardan, asked me the most interesting question; "What was my mortal life like?". This was the first time anyone had asked that. Most of the time it was mainly things like; "What was it like being a god?, What was it like becoming one?, Did you enjoy killing?" It was almost like being stuck in therapy hell. I have always had a very creative imagination, which at times gave me some disturbing thoughts, like after the fall of all the gods, hell for me would be getting stuck in group therapy for eternity. I could see it now.

---  
"Hello, my name is Bhaal. I was the God of Murder." I would stand up in front of the circle of the Gods.

"Hello Bhaal." They would answer and of course mispronouncing my name. Then the head of the group which would no doubt turn out to be that overly annoying Ao would start questioning me.

"How do you feel about being dead?" He would start off, then continue in to wanting me to express my "feelings".

---

I shook myself out of my thoughts. I really needed to take a page out of my children's book and stop thinking. This wizard's question though brought to mind memories of the past, things that I haven't thought of in aeons. Maybe it was just being inside the body of a female, since I know I am not emotional, but I could feel pain in my chest as the memories came unbidden.


End file.
